Walks at Midnight
by Anna's pastime
Summary: Fate sometimes sends us strange companions. Inuyasha series meets vampire fic. Main character: Sesshoumaru. Rated M for violence, some language and dark humor.
1. Default Chapter

_Walks at Midnight_

_Standard Disclaimer: The characters of InuYasha are not my property, but the property of Rumiko Takahashi and I make no money from this whatsoever. _

**Chapter 1:**

New Orleans, 2005

Sesshoumaru slowed his steps, all thoughts of a peaceful stroll vanishing from his mind. Adrenaline coursed through his veins, his awareness of his surroundings amplifying significantly. _Something_ was out there in the dark, watching him.

After centuries in Japan, he had finally decided to travel. He had been enjoying a walk through the darkened streets of the city of New Orleans when a prickle of warning had almost stopped him in his tracks. A look of slight surprise crossed his features.

_This is most unexpected._

A few more steps and he became acutely aware that he was surrounded. _What are these creatures? _The creatures now circling him moved like youkai, but they held a faintly human scent. Yet, they were not human - at least not anymore. The stench of death clung to these feral creatures. It was not their presence that disturbed him, but their scent.

His energy whip lashed out suddenly as a dark form jumped into the circle of light and scampered swiftly towards him. The form quickly disintegrated into burning ash.

Sesshoumaru regarded the burning ashes for a moment pondering their similarity to youkai in that regard. He was not impressed as the circle of creatures crowded ever closer to him. These creatures appeared to be quite easily dispatched but, still, it might be amusing to toy with them, something he had not allowed himself to indulge in for a long time. Had it been over a hundred years? The twentieth century had certainly been a bit boring in that regard.

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From farther outside the circle of light, another figure watched Sesshoumaru. He stepped forward to get a better look, careful to stay out of sight. The watcher could see the glimmer of dark hair and subdued features, a magical glamour, overlaying what was a truly beautiful and unusual male underneath. Long, silvery hair fell to the male's knees and his face held a flat, emotionless expression which was not usually worn by one of the living. Strange magenta and blue markings graced his flawless cheeks and forehead.

The watcher decided that one of the markings must represent the crescent moon, and that the ears were not quite right either, being too pointed to be human. The eyes were by far the most compelling part of this creature. They appeared to be golden, no amber, in hue and were exceptionally calm and cold. One thing was certain; his attention had been caught and held by this mysterious creature.

The creature before him was an enigma, its movements so incredibly fast that they matched and surpassed that of the vampires currently hunting it. And, there was blood - vital, powerful, tempting blood - flowing through its veins.

"What is he?"

Within the circle of light, the object of his scrutiny turned slightly in his direction at the sound of his voice. _Did he hear me speak_, he wondered.

The vampires crept forward a fraction at this movement, like a hunting cat might when it saw a mouse twitch. Seemingly unable to control its excitement, another vampire attacked and was dispatched as easily as the one before it.

_Fools, have they no self-preservation? They were weak. Why are these vampires wasting their lives one-by-one attacking this powerful man, creature, whatever he is? He will obviously overpower them. _He knew these things well, because he was also one of them, a vampire, but one vastly more powerful than the ones that currently circled the object of his interest.

He realized that the draw of this creature's blood was too strong to resist, at least for the weaker of the vampires who were so driven by instinct and bloodlust. This strange blood held the promise of greater strength. His mouth watered and he could not help but wonder how the blood of this remarkable creature would taste.

It was at that moment that the vampires forming a tight circle around the white figure chose to attack.

_What to do? What to do?_ He looked to the sky, one slender finger pressed against his lip in a thoughtful gesture. The simple pose made him look strangely human despite his porcelain-like skin and strange gray eyes. _Should I save the intriguing creature and then take his blood, or let the weaklings have their way with him and walk away?_

He did find so little to interest himself with these days, or actually nights. After so many centuries, he'd like to think that he could keep such things straight. This melancholy thought decided him and he turned back to the scene, intending to put a quick stop to the attacking horde, but what he saw made him stop short.

With amazing speed, the figure in white was using the strange, green-glowing whip to slice the vampires into pieces. A bloody pile of decapitated and dismembered bodies began to pile up around the creature. As there were many, a few of the stronger vampires got quite close, but were disposed of just as quickly by his….claws?

The creature before him was definitely not human. It had been a long, long time since he had been surprised by anything. _This ought to be quite an interesting evening, _he thought eagerly. He was intrigued. He strode towards the circle of light, tearing the heart out of one of the few remaining vampires as it tried to escape. It was a gesture of goodwill towards the now figure before him.

Sesshoumaru stood, pale and still, remarkably untouched by the massive amounts of splattered blood around him. He'd had a lot of practice at this sort of thing over the years and oh, how he'd missed it. He wondered idly if perhaps these creatures could be bred and rounded up in great numbers to fight in the future, considering the distinct lack of viable youkai to kill.

As Sesshoumaru pondered the idea of a vampire farm, the watcher decided to become an active participant and stepped closer. "Quite impressive. You must be new to these parts. I would like to introduce myself." He extended his non-bloodied hand. "My name is Fortune."

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_Fortune is pronounced 'for-tu-nay'. _

___AN: Hope you enjoyed this little bit of cheesy fun. No romance expected in part one. This story seemed like an entertaining one to write. Any comments welcome. Feel free to include those you may have about improving writing. Despite the first chapter, this is not a true action-adventure, although there are plenty of both. The developing relationships between characters will take the forefront. Expect some dark humor and mild violence as well._


	2. Whiskey

_AN: If the last chapter seemed a little strange, it may be because a character has been taken out, but we don't talk about him anymore... I hope you enjoy the latest installment!_

_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Inuyasha. _

**Chapter 2: **

Fortune learned that his new acquaintance's name was Sesshoumaru, and he was here visiting from Japan, but no further information seemed forthcoming from his new companion. It had been easy for Fortune to convince Sesshoumaru to join him for a drink. Sesshoumaru had nodded and moved to follow Fortune with no apparent fear or hesitation. While walking, Fortune had explained who and what he was, with no little pride.

The two now sat across the table from one another in a dark corner of a nearby bar. The bar was known as an old smuggler's meeting place which had somehow lasted since the early 1800's. It was a dismal little place, seeming to match its claim to fame as a place of ill repute. It was small and cramped with a low ceiling and surprisingly few tourists, perhaps they found it to be boring since there were no karaoke machines or dance floor. More importantly, it was not a vampire hangout, which worked in Fortune's favor, since he did not want a repeat of earlier attack. He simply wanted to learn more about this curious being that now sat in front of him.

The two stared at one another from across the small, round table.

Sesshoumaru wore his usual cold expression, devoid of any trace of emotion.

Fortune smiled back at him. His smile might have appeared quite amicable had it not been for his vampiric features. As it was, it seemed to make the waitress nervous.

_It's simply too much, _Fortune thought curiously_. How can he just sit there staring, registering no emotion; no curiosity, no displeasure, no irritation, not anything at all? _His lack of expression was perplexing, but it also struck Fortune as a tad humorous. At least, humorous in the way that you might wish to tease one of the Buckingham Palace guards. Fortune was almost tempted to make a face or stick out his tongue just to see if it would make a dent in Sesshoumaru's cold visage. His smile broadened at the thought.

At any rate, Fortune was prepared to accept that his new 'friend' was not quite all there.

_Is he perhaps daydreaming?_

Fortune's eyes narrowed as he edged forward slightly, trying to decide if his companion was indeed skylarking.

Sesshoumaru, on the other hand, was most definitely attending to the actions of the deadly looking vampire sitting across the table from him. Fortune looked human, if you disregarded his impossibly smooth, pale features and inhumanly intense eyes. He did not fully trust this creature's invitation to have an innocent little drink and conversation. Were they expected to become friends or some such drabble? And his suspicions were greatly increased by the predatory leer that currently graced the vampire's features, especially since the vampire seemed genuinely amused at something. Sesshoumaru had a sneaking suspicion that the 'something' was himself.

"Am I doing something that amuses you, vampire?"

Fortune was startled out of his musings by Sesshoumaru's rich, monotone voice. His curiosity about Sesshoumaru had deteriorated into amusing himself with images at companion's expense. He had been imagining tossing his glass of whiskey in Sesshoumaru's face, while an unmoved Sesshoumaru looked on stoically, whiskey dripping down his face and hair. Fortune chuckled aloud at his musings. Sesshoumaru's seriousness left him feeling downright mischievous. He wondered if he usually had this affect on others that he met. Fortune decided that others would most likely find him to be intimidating. "I'm afraid it is you who is amusing me." Fortune smiled.

"Why?"

"Mainly, because of your expression. You look very... stoic."

"And, you are not, I suppose."

"No," Fortune answered quickly and truthfully. He had a passionate nature, and enjoyed the art of living. Time, however, eventually took its toll on passion. The drudgery of repeating the same actions over and over eventually leeched the pleasure from even the most violent and vivid actions. That alone was why Fortune had enjoyed being surprised, had asked Sesshoumaru to have a drink with him, and why his present company was yielding a surprising amount of amusement. So, here the two of them were, sitting at an undersized table with two neglected glasses of whiskey.

"Sesshoumaru," Fortune ventured when his companion did not seem eager to continue talking, "you are obviously not human..."

"No."

"And you are certainly not a vampire, a ghost, or like anything I have met before. May I ask? What kind of man are you?"

"I am a youkai."

Fortune had not been expecting Sesshoumaru to answer his question, at least not without a little further prodding. "Youkai," Fortune repeated, "I am not familiar with that term. Explain, if you will?"

"Youkai are imbued with the power of youki, a force which enables youkai to practice magic, conjure, fight, transform, and heal, along with various other abilities specific to the individual youkai. There were once many youkai in my homeland of various forms and strengths, but they have long since vanished."

"Oh, why is that?" He did not quite understand everything that this youkai, Sesshoumaru, was describing, but decided it best to stick with one question at a time.

"As humans have increased greatly in numbers, youkai have disappeared due to fighting amongst themselves, slaughter, purification, breeding with humans…."

"Breeding with humans? Your kind can reproduce with humans? Interesting."

"My brother was half human."

Fortune detected the tiniest hint of something in Sesshoumaru's voice, making him think that perhaps there was hope for his new friend after all. At this point, Fortune had left money for the waitress and the two had headed out the door and into the crowded streets.

The two moved easily through the drunken revelers, only receiving a few stares from those whose brains were not completely addled with alcohol. Soon, the crowds thinned and Fortune and Sesshoumaru found themselves walking alone down the darkened streets.

Sesshoumaru relaxed somewhat. Talking with Fortune was mildly entertaining and even though Sesshoumaru had never been much for idle conversation, it had been quite a long time since he had spoken more than a few sentences to anyone. He had no interest in engaging the humans around him in conversation simply for conversation's sake. So, despite a stray interesting human here and there, Sesshoumaru had been keeping mainly to himself over the past century or two. Sesshoumaru decided he would enjoy talking with his new 'friend'.

After a few blocks, Fortune spotted a lone male stumbling around the corner. Fortune stepped up to the stranger, who seemed to be in his early 20's and reeked of alcohol and vomit.

"How many youkai are left now?" Fortune asked as he placed his hand on the stranger's shoulder.

"Few. I am quite possibly the last," Sesshoumaru answered with a trace of a sigh. He noticed that the smell of beer and vomit was now laced with fear.

"The last." Fortune tilted his head to the side and looked back at Sesshoumaru as he tightened his grip on the now struggling man's shoulder. "How tragic. So you are most likely all alone in the world now."

"My situation is not so unpleasant. I have had many centuries to adjust to the change."

"Oh." Fortune's hand paused in the act of twisting the of the young man's head to the side to stare back to Sesshoumaru. "You are immortal. How many…"

Sesshoumaru casually interrupted. "Fortune, your prey is getting rather vocal."

"True." Fortune whirled back toward his human prey, which was alternately yelling obscenities and calling to a friend for help.

"Fuck you! Let go of me, you creepy homo asshole. Fraannnk!" Apparently, the rush of fear-laced adrenaline had worked like a bucket of cold water on the drunken young man.

Fortune pulled the young man's head to the side, exposing his neck. He sunk his fangs into the flesh and began to feed.

Sesshoumaru waited patiently until Fortune dropped his now limp victim to the ground.

"It must get a bit boring with no one to talk to except humans. It is not easy for humans to understand certain things." Fortune resumed walking gracefully down the now empty street.

Sesshoumaru followed. "Recently, traveling has offered some mild respite from boredom."

"Hm, I'm sure." Fortune began thinking of his own battle against boredom throughout the centuries. As they walked together, talking idly, Fortune realized how different it was talking to Sesshoumaru as opposed to another vampire companion. Sesshoumaru had an almost clean feeling about him, similar to when Fortune was able to converse freely with a human. But of course, conversing with Sesshoumaru also held the advantage that he was a fellow immortal with a good understanding of what it was like to walk the earth for centuries, separated from humanity.

_In the least, _he mused, _this might make for an interesting friendship or at least a few engaging conversations. _

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_2nd disclaimer: No drunken college students were harmed in the writing of this fic. In fact, his name is Bubba and he worked surprisingly well with Fortune and Sesshoumaru to create that creepy scene above. Bubba is now in bed sleeping off his massive hangover. _


	3. Blood

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters. _**

**Chapter 3:**

Several days later….

Sesshoumaru walked to the corner of a dark street bordering City Park. His silver hair shimmered in the odd mixture of moonlight and flickering streetlight. At Fortune's suggestion he had decided to, at times, drop his illusionary glamour, which hid his uniquely youkai features—facial markings, silver hair, claws—under a more ordinary human-like guise. According to Fortune, they would blend in with the odd looking mix of humans flooding the streets of New Orleans these days. The city seemed to attract a strange crowd, or possibly, upon arriving, something about the feel of the city caused them to lower their inhibitions and express their extreme, bizarre or perverse sides. Not to say that there were not 'normal' looking residents and tourists walking the streets, but the outrageous minority stood out enough for Fortune and Sesshoumaru to pass freely. Thus, his youkai appearance proved acceptable for many of their nightly wanderings.

Sesshoumaru paused, waiting. A few moments passed and Fortune appeared.

"Sesshoumaru, are you ready to hunt?"

"I will accompany you, yes."

"You can't tell me that someone such as yourself does not relish the thrill of the hunt." Fortune smirked as the two strolled into the park. The park was well utilized during the daytime, usually overrun with children and families. But at night, like most isolated areas in a city, it became a bit sinister. A few small groups of people milled about talking, drinking, and relaxing; taking in the unusually temperate spring air. The two continued talking as Sesshoumaru followed Fortune to a more deserted and seedy area of the park.

Fortune paused near a bench where a shabbily dressed man sat, slumped over with an empty bottle, unconscious. He had obviously consumed far too much alcohol and he reeked of it. Fortune sat down beside the man.Sesshoumaru wrinkled his nose a fraction. He was a bit surprised to find that this man smelled worse than the boy from the previous night. He decided to try not to breathe too deeply.

"Have a seat." Fortune patted the bench in a playful way. "Let us enjoy this exceptionally pleasant evening." Fortune watched as his youkai companion gingerly took a seat on the other side of the unconscious man. He had gotten quite used to his companion's stoic nature. Even though he did not appear to possess any capacity for emotion, the youkai was intelligent and had a sarcastic sense of humor that suited Fortune just fine. A sarcastic comment coming from someone with an impassive face could be quite humorous.

"To answer your question, yes, of course, I find some pleasure in hunting prey. However, that was not for which I was primarily trained."

"What exactly were you trained for then?"

"To fight and kill the enemies who seek to threaten my family's lands with whatever weapons happen to be at my disposal."

"Oh, what kinds of weapons?" Fortune thought back to when he'd first seen Sesshoumaru and how he'd used that green whip and his claws to attack the vampires.

"I was first trained in the use of my natural abilities; my claws and my poison attacks."

"Poison attacks, in what form?" Fortune found that he was curious about this ability he had yet to witness.

"Yes, I have a natural immunity to poison, as well as the use of my own poison." Sesshoumaru held up his hand and a green glow slowly formed around it.

"Poison claws... Sesshoumaru, you grow more formidable by the minute." Fortune smirked.

"Indeed," Sesshoumaru did not appear to recognize the jest, "I am glad to have impressed you. But, these abilities are fairly typical of my kind." Sesshoumaru leaned back against the bench, studying the nails on his right hand in an almost feminine way. "Furthermore, I have countless other natural abilities with which I have been trained to fight, as well as weaponry; swords being my personal favorite."

Fortune's attention was beginning to waver. He was getting the distinct feeling that Sesshoumaru could spend all evening describing his battle prowess if he let him. However, an interesting phrase caught his attention. "Did you just say a sword that revives the dead?"

"Yes, the sword is called Tenseiga and was left to me by my father."

Fortune was finally intrigued. "How does it work?"

"As I said, it has the power to revive the dead. I have used it to revive both humans and youkai."

"So, theoretically, you could revive my victims after they are dead." Fortune pondered the implications of this power.

"Theoretically, yes, if I wanted to chase you around the streets of New Orleans each night reviving your victims. However, it is also up to Tenseiga. I have learned over the years that Tenseiga seems to have a mind of its own. But since the sword is not here, this is only speculation."

"Oh and where is the sword now?"

"In Japan. Airplanes are rather strict these days." Sesshoumaru always regretted leaving Tenseiga, and even Tokijin, behind when he traveled. The days of great sword battles were past for the most part, but he still missed having the two resting against his hip. More practically, Sesshoumaru also worried about leaving Tokijin unmonitored for extended periods. Though the powerful sword was sealed, its' evil power always struggled to free itself and yearned for bloodshed. Sesshoumaru hoped that he would not return from his travels one day to find a foolish human thief on a bloodthirsty rampage through the streets of Japan, possessed by the evil sword.

The wind shifted, sending the scent of unwashed human into Sesshoumaru's sensitive nose. "Fortune, the vagrant," Sesshoumaru nodded towards the sleeping human, "his smell is increasing. Let us move on."

"Him, why he's dinner," Fortune grinned, patting the unconscious man on the shoulder in a way that would seem quite friendly if Fortune hadn't just made the previous statement.

"Dinner," Sesshoumaru arched an eyebrow, "there is no challenge for you in this. You might as well be ordering dinner at that awful human restaurant you dragged me to the other night."

"Masperos," Fortune clarified.

"Yes, at any rate, feeding off of this man's blood is about as far from hunting as I can imagine."

Fortune ignored the last statement. "You mean, you didn't enjoy Masperos," Fortune asked, mock hurt in his voice, "some believe it to be the epitome of casual New Orleans dining."

Sesshoumaru thought back to the night before. Fortune insisted that he accompany him to the restaurant. Sesshoumaru had sat across from Fortune, his heavy silver hair trailing down the back of his chair and onto the floor. He had wondered what strange amusement Fortune was deriving from watching him eat dinner. He had flipped his hair over to the side and away from the floor and sighed. _Youkai hair was so high maintenance_. Fortune had ordered what he had called 'a New Orleans' specialty' which Sesshoumaru had proceeded to pick at like a finicky four-year old. "Is there something wrong with the food," Fortune had asked.

"I do not like rice."

"I thought Japanese were supposed to love rice."

"Yes, humans and even some Youkai consume this nauseating food constantly, but I do not enjoy the taste." Sesshoumaru hesitated, "And it is a bit spicy."

At this, Fortune had chuckled.

Sesshoumaru was jolted back to the present by another sour scented breeze. "Fortune, a vampire stalking its prey must involve more of a challenge than feeding off of a nearly comatose victim."

"Well, they are only humans. It is simple to hunt them. What resistance could they offer me, after all?" Fortune sighed. The worst times were when even taking a victim was unexciting.

"There is still some pleasure in the hunt."

"Is there? How would you describe it, Sesshoumaru?"

Sesshoumaru paused. It had been a long time since he had hunted game in the forests of Japan. The forests had dwindled, and Sesshoumaru had become a city dweller, blending into society and occasionally, even though it was rarely required, he would even consume human food_. But never rice,_ Sesshoumaru reminded himself.

"I haven't hunted in many years. There are less and less forested areas these days. When I hunted, I would seek to catch the desired scent on the wind. As the source of the scent grew closer, it could become quite," Sesshoumaru paused, as though he could not quite find a word to describe this particular feeling, "stimulating." Sesshoumaru wondered why he hadn't engaged in this particular activity in so long in the available areas. He was an inu-youkai, after all. Living like a human could only suppress instinctive urges so long.

Fortune realized that his new companion must have a very sensitive nose. Before he could comment on this, Sesshoumaru continued.

"Which brings me to another point. If you feed off of this human, his unpleasant scent will follow you for the rest of the evening."

Fortune grinned at this statement and stood up. "Then let us leave and find more suitable prey."

The two once again headed off into the darkened streets surrounding the park, crossing over Carrollton and into the eclectic neighborhoods beyond. The man on the bench slumbered on, not realizing that his bathing practices had saved him from certain death. Fortune led them onward down Esplanade, leaving the pleasant houses and gardens behind for somewhat seedier neighborhoods.

"You are always certain to entertain me in the nicest areas of the city, Fortune."

Fortune snorted a half-laugh, not bothering to respond. At Sesshoumaru's prodding, Fortune began describing a vampire's version of stalking prey. "I don't catch a human's scent and follow it, per say. Humans are easy targets. Most are less aware of their surroundings than, say, a beast in the forest. I simply approach a lone human and feed. Not to say I am not discriminating."

Sesshoumaru interrupted his description. "So, your main satisfaction is gained through the act of killing or feeding off of your prey?"

"Quite right." Fortune had begun following a pair of humans he'd spotted earlier. "But as I was saying, I am discriminating, and part of the enjoyment of the act can be choosing a victim, which may involve some stalking." On a whim, Fortune gave up following the pair and walked down a street lined with dilapidated shotgun-style houses. From the end of the street, a young teenage girl came walking towards them. This was not typical for the time of night. The girl's clothes looked grubby, with her hair pulled back in an untidy ponytail. Fortune laughed to himself. _He sure knew how to pick them._

Sesshoumaru watched the girl as she shied to the opposite side of the street in order to avoid the two males. There was something familiar tugging at the far corners of his mind. The girl reminded him of someone; her expression seemed so lost and forlorn.

_Rin._ In some vague way the girl reminded him of Rin.

In one swift movement Fortune had the girl. The vampire crouched down to feed.

Sesshoumaru was beside him instantly "No," Sesshoumaru barked out, yanking Fortune off of the girl. The metallic scent of blood tickled Sesshoumaru's nose and, for a moment, he thought the girl might already be dead. But within seconds, she was on her feet and darting off down the street. She managed to find her voice and let out a high pitched shriek.

Fortune sprang back from Sesshoumaru's grip and hissed. "What the hell do you think you are doing?"

Sesshoumaru turned and began walking casually back down the street as if nothing had occurred. As if he had not just come between the vampire and his prey, again. "She reminded me of someone." Sesshoumaru shrugged indifferently.

"I see." Fortune was angry and was currently examining the benefits of attacking a different sort of prey; a certain silver haired youkai to be exact. _I was wondering just how his blood would taste. What better time than the present to find out?_ Fortune felt no hesitation, only a strange light feeling of elation as he sprang forward. In one swift movement, Fortune was on him, sharp teeth sinking into Sesshoumaru's neck. It was rich, powerful blood, just as Fortune had expected. The blood flowed over his lips and into his mouth where it burned like fire and pounded like electricity through Fortune's veins. Fortune grasped the back of Sesshoumaru's shirt tightly, surprised at the intense heat radiating off the youkai. He could feel Sesshoumaru's heart beating steadily _Does this youkai remain calm even in the face of death_? Fortune gripped the back of his shirt even tighter as he sought to draw out more of the delicious, intoxicating blood.

Just as suddenly, Fortune was forcefully thrown back, his fall broken by a metal electrical box. Fortune shook his head and picked himself up from the crushed metal and faced Sesshoumaru. Fortune was immediately amused by the sight. Sesshoumaru was standing there, looking just as calm and collected as always, albeit with a quickly healing wound at his throat.

Fortune laughed. _Was there nothing that ruffled the emotionless youkai? Well, at least he doesn't appear angry._ Fortune's attention was drawn to what he clutched tightly in his hand. Lifting his hand to inspect it, Fortune realized it was hair; silky, beautiful silver hair that had been ripped from Sesshoumaru's head during the scuffle.

"Oh, this is nice." Fortune held the hair up for closer inspection. "Not only do I get your blood, but a bit of your lovely hair as well."

Sesshoumaru's eyes widened at the statement.

Fortune didn't know if he expected Sesshoumaru to find this funny, but what happened next caught him completely off guard.

Sesshoumaru's youki flared and formed a red aura around him, his hair whipping about in the turbulent force of the energy. And his eyes began to glow red with rage.

Fortune could hardly believe his eyes. Sesshoumaru's calm visage had completely disappeared and he was now enraged. Sesshoumaru was finally ruffled, and was all because of his damn hair. Fortune could barely contain his laughter. _What a prissy youkai he is._

"You fool," Sesshoumaru growled his voice harsh and menacing. "How dare you."

Fortune disappeared before Sesshoumaru could charge.

After he calmed himself down Sesshoumaru walked alone back to his hotel. The sun was rising as he walked up the steps to the hotel lobby, worrying the pieces of torn hair.


	4. Swamp

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or any of its characters.

The next evening…

Sesshoumaru felt the dark presence of the vampire suddenly behind them. With a display of lightning quick reflexes, he sprang back and struck with his claws. He felt an impact, and his claws were slicing through skin and bone, and then, nothing. Sesshoumaru was left swiping at air. Fortune was gone just as suddenly as he had appeared.

And, another evening after that….

Sesshoumaru made his way towards the meeting place near the park. When he arrived, Fortune was not waiting for him. Sesshoumaru snorted. First the vampire fled and now he is apparently too cowardly to show his face. How disappointing, he thought. Sesshoumaru guessed that Fortune obviously recognized and feared his superior strength and skill—he was a taiyoukai after all. However, he was not without mercy. He would not kill the vampire. His hair would grow back soon.

Sesshoumaru continued alone. He decided to focus on the appealing mixture of sights and smells which the city provided in abundance. He walked. He watched. He sniffed. He even walked briefly into a crowded club—but, after his senses were assaulted by the overpowering smell of human sweat and arousal, he made a hasty departure. After a few hours on his own he was quite bored and toyed with the idea of heading back to the hotel. Not that he needed much rest or sleep—in fact, Sesshoumaru had rarely returned to his hotel in the evenings or daytime hours. Mainly, hotels served as a secure resting place for his sparse luggage.

Unexpectedly, he felt a tickle of power at the edge of his consciousness, as if someone, or something, quite powerful were lurking just far enough away to avoid detection. He was being watched How did he not notice before, Sesshoumaru wondered. And, he had a good idea who the 'someone' was—Fortune. Sesshoumaru realized that he had missed his new friend's presence—just a little, he thought, toying with his torn lock of hair.

If Fortune was determined to stalk him without revealing himself, then perhaps, Sesshoumaru decided, he could demonstrate a few skills of his own. Two could play at this little game. Sesshoumaru leapt skyward and began to fly over the city, obscured by the low hanging cloud cover. After a few miles, he landed, walked for a time searching for any trace of Fortune's presence and finding none, and then taking off again. Sesshoumaru repeated these steps several times, before he recognized, by the scent of fresher air and the wet, woodsy smell, that he was nearing the edge of the city. He landed and felt pleased that Fortune was somewhere, miles away, wondering what the hell had happened.

But, then it happened again. Sesshoumaru felt the tickle of Fortune's presence somewhere out there, in the darkness. Their little game was turning into a battle. Frustrated, Sesshoumaru jumped on top of a near by building, and from there onto the sturdy tree branch. He looked carefully and sniffed, trying to discern just were Fortune was hiding—he was determined not to let Fortune to get the best of him. When he could not detect anything, Sesshoumaru dropped to the ground and began swiftly moving through the trees and into the wooded area.

Sesshoumaru began leaping gracefully from tree to tree deeper into what seemed to be a nature preserve. Several times, Sesshoumaru encountered a flurry of feathers or the screech of some animal startled by his sudden proximity. Otherwise, he moved noiselessly and found that traveling amidst the trees was quite pleasant—the movement making its own breeze, a welcome respite from the still, humid air typical to this sub-tropical climate. The forest about him began to change from mixed hardwood and pine to gnarled cypress and long expanses of waterlogged grasses. Crickets and Frogs sang their nightly song, undeterred by his presence. Sesshoumaru balanced on a cypress knee jutting out of the swamp and paused. Mentally, he reached out into the dark swamp around him and felt…absolutely nothing. Around him, only a few pairs of reptilian eyes stared back at the youkai. "Humph," Sesshoumaru allowed himself a snort of derision at Fortune, and silently applauded his own skill. Apparently, Fortune was not adept at maneuvering trees and forest, perhaps becoming disoriented at the unfamiliar sights and sounds of the forest and swamp. Sesshoumaru had to remember to tease Fortune about being so helplessly urban, that is, if he ever decided to speak to him again.

As he stood quietly balanced on the cypress, the crickets and frogs began to step up the volume of their chorus to 'defeaning roar'. Sesshoumaru decided to celebrate Fortune's defeat with a few victory leaps across the swamp's cypress knees. Leap, land, crouch, leap, land, crouch, leap, land, "SPLASH".

Bakeru! Sesshoumaru cursed as he felt his feet sink into the water of the swamp, and twisted his body hastily to right himself. Unbelievably, he felt himself slip ungracefully back into the thick mud of the swamp with a "squish" sound. "Bakeru!" Sesshoumaru cursed again out loud as the watery mud sucked at his feet and splattered on his pants. Where the hell had that cypress knee gone? It was there when he landed! Sesshoumaru suppressed the urge to throw a violent little tantrum and shred a nearby tree to ribbons with his claws. Acting on such undignified impulses had already caused him enough grief for one evening.

The swamp was now quiet except for several choice, angry curses muttered in Japanese. Sesshoumaru leapt through the trees towards the city, feeling relieved that, at least, Fortune had not been there to witness his slip. Additionally, Sesshoumaru contemplated spitefully, he had the satisfaction of knowing that that the vampire appeared to fear him enough to avoid him for the time being. Quite wise on his part as well, Sesshoumaru added. This line of reasoning was helping to bolster his bruised ego a fraction. And, as Sesshoumaru entered the city, he was feeling better about the whole thing. He decided to file the incident under, 'things that never actually happened, and are best forgotten, quickly'. Sesshoumaru flew towards the center of the city, eager to get rid of the evidence, his wet, muddy clothes, and forget the incident entirely.

Did I mention that Fortune is pronounced "for-tu-nay"? Thanks for the name, Uncle Fortune!

AN:I realize I am updatingquite quickly, but this has been posted on AFF for awhile so I figured I'd better hurry and get up to speed. I'd better see some action, review-wise, or I'll assume that no one is reading this story! Whaaa!(well, except for your, my dearStarry eyes!) Review if you want another quick update.


	5. The Girl

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or any of its characters.

By the next evening, Sesshoumaru had pushed the events of the previous night far back in his mind—they were, for all intents and purposes, forgotten. He was now in a good mood. Of course, it did not show on his calm and expressionless face, but perhaps there was a gleam of good humor in his eye only discernable to those few who knew him well, most of whom were long dead. He moved through the sparse evening crowds at the edge of the quarter just behind the French Market, his hair floating behind him like a silver cloud. Fortune was nearby, Sesshoumaru was not exactly sure where, but it was nice to know the vampire was still present. He wondered when the vampire was planning to reveal himself, and moved towards more secluded areas in hopes of drawing him out. Sesshoumaru was in the mood to talk. His previous discussions with the vampire provided a pleasant diversion, and it would be agreeable to continue.

Sesshoumaru wondered if perhaps Fortune was planning to stalk him again—the game seemed to amuse the vampire. Fortune might feel the need to prove his skills after his defeat in the swamp.

This time, however, the vampire was not content to lurk. He drew closer. Sesshoumaru rounded the corner of a street and suddenly, Fortune was there. And, he was not alone. In the vampire's arms was the limp form of a girl.

A kill? The girl appeared dead. But, Sesshoumaru could hear her heart beating, steady and strong. She was unconscious. When Sesshoumaru made no move, Fortune began to walk forward.

"I've brought you a peace offering, Sesshoumaru."

"I have already forgiven you."

Fortune looked a little perturbed at this statement. "Then why did you attack me, youkai?"

"I assumed you would fight. You hardly present a challenge. However, for lack of a more able adversary, fighting you might have provided some minor entertainment."

Fortune only stared, so he continued. "If I meant to kill you, you would be dead—or, more so than you presently appear."

Fortune finally grinned.

"Big words," Fortune paused here for affect. "But, so far you have found it impossible to touch me, while I have This." Fortune let the unconscious girl slid, none too gently, to the ground beside him and retrieved a clump of silver hair.

Fortune watched, amused, as Sesshoumaru's hand moved unconsciously to touch the ends of his torn lock of hair. Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed.

"I seem to remember feeling an impact when I struck you."

"Brick wall."

"No, no, I do not think it was. I sliced you open just under the ribs." Sesshoumaru allowed himself a small smile. Memories of bloodshed always gave him a warm feeling inside.

Fortune winced a little, having a different reaction to the memory.

Sesshoumaru turned his attention to the girl at Fortune's feet. "A peace offering? What do you expect me to do with her, mate her?"

"You did say that she reminded you of someone." Fortune was smiling amicably again at the prospect of further exasperating the youkai. "I thought you might have a soft spot for the girl. You could eat her?"

Sesshoumaru glared at him, apparently not having a taste for young human girls.

"She looks dead," Sesshoumaru observed.

"You know better."

Sighing, Sesshoumaru bent down to inspect the girl.

"She is filthy."

Fortune shrugged, "she made a flying leap into a ditch when I appeared next to her. She was quite fast, for a human."

"She is injured."

Fortune shrugged again. He wondered how long this three-word dialogue would last.

"I suppose," Sesshoumaru began hesitantly, "we should take her to the hotel until she recovers." Despite the fact that it revealed a weakness for humans, he did not want to see the girl left to the mercy of predators. At the mercy of other predators, he corrected himself.

"You carry her," Sesshoumaru commanded, then turned and began walking in the direction of the hotel. Fortune almost refused. He was not a servant. But, an inscrutable expression briefly crossed his face, and he picked the girl up and followed, taking to the air before they encountered the crowds.

Near dawn…

Sesshoumaru tended the scratches on their girl's legs and arms with a first aid kit he had purchased from the hotel. He gently bandaged her calf where there were a set of particularly nasty looking, though not serious, scratches. The girl lay across the bed of the hotel room, still dead to the world. She was young, around fourteen, and had frizzy brown hair and a still childish face. Sesshoumaru decided she must have a slight concussion from the fall. That, or she'd had the wits scared out of her in meeting Fortune again. Sesshoumaru brushed her bangs out of her eyes and thought of Rin. Five hundred years had passed since she had died, but he still thought of her often. He had yet to meet another like her—she had followed him, trusted him, loved him…

"So, tell me who the girl reminds you of," Fortune finally asked, a little surprised by the gentle behavior he bestowed on the girl. Fortune was splayed across the other bed, leaning against the headboard pretending to read one of Sesshoumaru's books. Sesshoumaru had thought this strange, since the book was written in Japanese, but decided not to comment.

"Her name was Rin," Sesshoumaru began in his steady monotone, "She was human as well. I revived her with Tenseiga after she had been killed by wolves. At first, it was something like an experiment, though I did owe her something, but she followed me and I came to think of her as a daughter. She died, of course, as is the nature of her kind, about five hundred years ago."

"So long," Fortune was amazed—more at the hint of emotion in Sesshoumaru's voice near the end than to the time elapsed. "And, yet you still feel affection for a stray human you adopted over five hundred years ago."

"Yes, strange, isn't it. I always wondered if this particular idiosyncrasy was inherited from my father. He mated with a human—do you remember the half-human brother I mentioned."

"Mmm," Fortune sighed by way of an answer. His eyes were closed now. But, he was not bored. Hearing Sesshoumaru talk about his family and past in such a candid manner was interesting.

"My father claimed he…loved this human female. He even died for her in the end." There was not trace of bitterness in Sesshoumaru's voice. The passage of time had proved the only cure for the bitterness he had nursed many years before forgiving his father.

"My half-brother, Inuyasha, was a result of this union. I believe I also I felt….love for Rin." Sesshoumaru admitted this aloud with relative ease now, considering it had taken several hundred years before he would admit it to himself. After all that time, nothing was left but Rin's memory and a little gnawing regret. Rin, a human child had accepted him and worked her way into his own heart. In return, he had protected her, provided her with a home and a rather distant father-figure. Now, as he looked down into the face of the young girl, he was reminded how much he wished he had told Rin what she had meant to him. However, he had been a different youkai at the time.

"I did not expect that you would make a habit of taking in stray humans, and letting them steal your heart, Sesshoumaru. There is more to you than those claws and that bland expression, after all. You almost make me wish that I could spend more time around humans again without thinking, 'lunch'. But, I stress the 'almost'. You will have to tell me more about this brother of yours."

"Half-brother."

"And, what exactly did you owe to this human child?"

Sesshoumaru did not answer right away. Finally, he replied, "She tended me when I was injured and recovering in a forest."

"Tended you," Fortune asked, a little confused, "how so?" He could think of no manner in which a human child would be of assistance to the quickly healing youkai.

"I did not require her attentions, of course. She brought food and water, though I had no need of such."

"So, how exactly did she assist you then?" Fortune was beginning to wonder if Sesshoumaru was a bit senile after all these years.

"She did just as I described. Haven't you heard the English idiom, it's the thought that counts.

What had happened to the cold-hearted youkai Fortune hunted with each evening!

"You are some piece of work, you realize that, Sesshoumaru."

Sesshoumaru's attention was diverted by a sudden acceleration in the girl's heartbeat. He heard a sudden intake of air and turned toward her.

Her eyes were open and wide, flitting back and forth from Fortune to Sesshoumaru in obvious fear. "Shit," she whispered. More quickly than the two expected, she scrambled off the bed and backed into the wall opposite the doorway. She was indeed faster than expected, Sesshoumaru observed.

Following the wall to the doorway, the girl never took her eyes off vampire or youkai as she grasped the handle of the door behind her and darted outside.

"Bye, bye," Fortune perversely mimed a young girl's voice, waving goodbye in an exaggerated gesture. "Sesshoumaru," Fortune chided, "you've got to learn to smile a little. Your sour expression scared your new 'daughter' off."

"Your humor is juvenile."

"I guess it's just the two of us then."

Sesshoumaru sighed. He felt a little disappointed at the girl's swift departure. There really was no other like Rin.

"And, who is going to eat all this food," Fortune asked in mock concern. "She really was rude to run out on us like that. After all you had done for her."

Sesshoumaru looked over at the room service tray. He had ordered several breakfast style dishes, anticipating that the girl had not eaten well lately. She had looked awfully thin. It had been a long time since he had eaten, as a matter a fact. Sesshoumaru lifted the silver trays off, steam escaping from the plates of grillades, grits, and boudin sausage. He poured himself a cup of hot coffee.

"I used to love coffee," Fortune commented, feeling a little sentimental for his past human life after the night's events.

"Um. The coffee is superb," Sesshoumaru teased as he lifted the cup to his lips.

"Tomorrow night, you may accompany me," Fortune requested as he stood to leave, "that is, if you promise not to interfere in my hunting again."

Sesshoumaru ignored him and continued eating with no little enthusiasm. The grillades turned out to be quite tasty, much better than the rice Fortune had tried to force on him. He wondered what strange meat was in the boudin, which was good as well.

"Even though you haven't discovered my real preference for the blood of little old ladies and innocent children…"

"Bloodthirsty bastard," Sesshoumaru muttered between bites, playing along with Fortune's joke.

Fortune snickered. "Just a joke. I feel the need to clarify that since I am now aware of your rather soft and fuzzy side."

Fortune received his second death-glare of the evening. As he turned to leave, he wondered if he should lie and tell Sesshoumaru that grits were made from rice.

"Goodnight." Fortune hesitated a moment, watching the silver haired youkai enjoying his meal, then departed swiftly as the light of dawn was fast approaching.

AN: Please review and let me know if you like how the story is going.My story looked so sad,with only one review and now its got two. Yeah, I am in bliss. Two reviews--that's .5 reviews per chapter. Wow, this story has really taken off in the fan fiction community (heh).Truly, though,I appreciateboth reviews--Starry and anonymous. It makes me feel good toknow that Ihave at least twopeople reading this story on As always,if you have any comments, suggestions on writing or plot, or questions, please review or e-mail me.

My next update may be a little longer, depending on how much inspriation I get.


	6. Bugs

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters. 

Sesshoumaru and Fortune shared a conspiratory grin at one another over the row of bushes. Hidden in the bushes, a man and woman were coupling.

"One for you, and one for me," Fortune said, laughing a little at his own joke. "Oh, I forgot, you don't drink blood. That'll be two for me." Fortune quickly jumped over the row of bushes and Sesshoumaru heard signs of struggle and muffled protests. Surprisingly quickly, Fortune leapt back out of the bushes and was standing beside Sesshoumaru again.

"Do your bed partners not complain of your brevity?"

"And here I thought I was the funny one," Fortune parried back. "I think I am definitely rubbing off on you. As for these two, this was your idea—that I try and make my meals more of a challenge. What did you think?"

"I think you are absolutely correct. Taking on two drunken humans distracted by their lovemaking was probably quite challenging for you. Next time, perhaps you should attack the old ladies you mentioned last night—they are sure to be quite a challenge for you as well." Sesshoumaru delivered his sarcasm with his usual air of superiority.

"Your attempts at humor as so juvenile, Sesshoumaru," Fortune said, mimicking Sesshoumaru's flat tone from the previous night.

Sesshoumaru considered replying. There were so many ways to outwit that last jab. Look who is rubbing off on whom now…or, imitating me won't make you as witty as…no, that would not do at all. This war of words was quickly spiraling into the realm of the undignified. Realizing this, he turned and began walking forward.

Fortune soon followed, pleased to have had the last word. Feeling energized from the new blood, Fortune went airborne/took to the air, landing on a sturdy branch near the top of a large oak. Sesshoumaru joined Fortune on the branch—who was now staring down at the street far below. After many years of keeping to himself, how nice it was loosen up and indulge in a little light conversation.

"I found a nice, quiet tree in which to enjoy this fine evening, and now those humans down there look like their planning to noise it up." Fortune's irritated voice startled Sesshoumaru out of his thoughts.

Sesshoumaru followed Fortune's gaze to a group of human males who appeared to like the spot as well, albeit below the oak's branches. Sure enough, Sesshoumaru could hear the skipping of the music CD as one of the humans searched for a song. "Perhaps it will be tasteful music," he offered.

Fortune stopped scowling at the humans below and tilted his head skyward, eyes closed. "Hm. You may be right. I like this song."

Sesshoumaru listened.

I don't argue. I don't fight. I just hit that chic with a bottle…

"You like this music," Sesshoumaru chided, watching Fortune suspiciously from the corner of his eye.

"Sure. I enjoy most modern music. As for this song, I have always enjoyed a good catfight. You can't tell me even your cold blood doesn't stir a little watching a woman fight?"

Sesshoumaru considered this. Thinking back, he did seem to remember feeling a thrill of excitement at watching one tightly clad demon slayer fight with her hiraikotsu. What was her name? "Sango," he remembered aloud.

"What?"

"I was thinking of a female slayer who fought with my half-brother many years ago. She did look quite alluring fighting youkai with her blood stained hiraikotsu and a rather…tight-fitting uniform."

"Female slayer?"

"She was a human trained in the extermination of youkai."

"You have a self-destructive streak, don't you?"

Taking a moment to enjoy a few more visions of Sango doing somersaults and kicks in her form-fitting outfit, Sesshoumaru then explained, "Sango was her name, and you have to admit that a dangerous woman can be quite enticing. Perhaps it is more about wanting what you cannot have."

"Unfortunately, yes, the whole 'forbidden woman' thing has not escaped me," Fortune sighed, recalling the beautiful fiance of his ex-best friend back in his human days. "The grass is always greener." He had been a teenager at the time, full of high ideals, and hormones.

Sesshoumaru did not reply. Like Fortune, he was remembering. Sango…her eyes flashing and hair tossing in the wind as she viciously attacked Naraku with her hiraikotsu, trying desperately to aid her group of friends. That lecherous monk could hardly keep his hands off of her, as he could well understand. Sesshoumaru had been hard pressed to keep his eyes off of her during battle, while Sango put on a show with her nimble battle moves.

Sesshoumaru shifted his position on the tree branch. He felt something tickling his ear.

"Fortune," Sesshoumaru warned sharply.

"What is it?"

"Stop that!"

"Stop what?"

"No," Sesshoumaru whispered, sounding a little anxious.

Sesshoumaru suddenly went completely rigid. His expression was just as calm as ever, Fortune noted, but his stare had a glassy look to it, as if he were somewhere else. Perhaps he was having a seizure?

Sesshoumaru relaxed his shoulders. He then slowly and carefully lifted his hand up to touch the hair behind his left ear. Before his hand made contact with his hair, Sesshoumaru stiffened again, and immediately dropped to the ground below the tree. Fortune was baffled—what the hell was wrong with the normally unflappable youkai. You can bet it has something to do with that damn hair of his, Fortune thought. He tried to peer downward and discover the reason behind these strange antics.

As soon as Sesshoumaru landed, he flipped his hair forward and began frantically running his claws through his long, silver hair. Several severed strands floated lazily to the ground. He made bizarre sight, shaking his hair and now rapidly picking at individual strands. He had attracted the attention of the small group who were listening to the music.

Something small and black fell finally out of Sesshoumaru's hair and landed a few feet away. Sesshoumaru made a few more swipes at his hair and then flipped it back, standing erect once again. He kept his gaze downward, however, and began to edge backwards. Fortune's exceptional vampiric eyes could see the small, black form was moving ever so slowly in Sesshoumaru's direction. It would crawl forward, and Sesshoumaru would take another step backwards, as if he involved in some peculiar dance.

The small crowd of humans standing to Sesshoumaru's right must have obviously thought he was edging away from them. "Whatcha heart beatin' for. You scared," one of the tough looking humans drawled, causing an eruption of laughter from the tree above and the group of humans. Sesshoumaru snapped out of his daze, realizing he was the one being addressed. These humans had just witnessed the mighty Sesshoumaru backing away in fear of…a cockroach. They should certainly be slaughtered to cover up the incident. Menacingly, he turned towards the group.

Before Sesshoumaru had time to act on the thought, out of the corner of his eye he saw the cockroach moved towards him again. Sesshoumaru leapt away quickly. From above, he heard peals of laughter. Perhaps it is not the humans he should be worrying about, he thought angrily. Sesshoumaru leapt back up onto the branch beside Fortune. The humans down below were startled and made a quick departure, staring fearfully at the tree over their shoulders. Every resident of New Orleans had heard their fill of stories about supernatural beings haunting the streets—ghosts, voodoo zombies, vampires…

"What exactly was that," Fortune wanted to know.

Sesshoumaru's answer was a quick swipe at Fortune's head. Fortune was just fast enough to avoid the blow, which slashed off a part of the tree branch. Leaves and a branch the size of a horse fell below with a resounding "thump".

Sesshoumaru heard a snicker from the ground below and swiftly he had Fortune's throat tight is his grip against a light pole.

"To have seen what I have seen tonight, even death would be worth it," Fortune rasped, eyes bright with amusement. And, with that statement, he was gone.

How did he…? Sesshoumaru did not even have time to finish this thought before his instincts took over and he whipped around to attack Fortune again. He had appeared just behind him, grinning. His claws struck flesh and bone and he heard a satisfying ripping sound as he tore into Fortune's side. Just as quickly, Fortune disappeared again.

Fortune reappeared on the branch above the youkai. He was no longer smiling. He had been planning to take another taste of Sesshoumaru's blood, but the youkai somehow managed to get the better of him. His vampiric nature's yearning for Sesshoumaru's blood was not sated by the small sip he had taken earlier. Damn, he is fast, Fortune thought. But, he had a few tricks as well.

"Am I going to have to chase you down and force you to fight, coward" Sesshoumaru glared at Fortune from the ground.

"Isn't that a little like the kettle calling the pot black?"

Sesshoumaru appeared puzzled.

"Never mind. I'm not going anywhere, youkai." Sesshoumaru joined Fortune on the oak branch. Thinking that his trip would be much less interesting without the vampire around, he decided to spare him.

He raised his hand to eye level, revealing blood soaked claws. He proceeded to lick them clean, reminding Fortune of a cat.

"Is that supposed to intimidate me, youkai?"

When no answer was forthcoming, he continued, "And I thought you didn't drink blood. You realize you look like very feline cleaning your claws like that."

Sesshoumaru paused and closed his mouth quickly. "Don't push your luck, vampire. Your insults will be…"

"I only said you looked like a cat."

"I am a dog youkai."

"Oh," Fortune repressed another snicker. "What is with the roaches?"

"They are…creepy. And, these are…oversized."

"What, Cockroaches?"

"Yes," Sesshoumaru answered, crossing his hands over his chest. He said nothing else. He was not about to further humiliate himself for the amusement of the vampire.

"I assure you, Sesshoumaru, you are far creepier than any cockroach," Fortune continued, enjoying this new weakness he could use against the youkai.

Fortune thought a moment.

"Buzzzzz," he whispered near Sesshoumaru's ear. He wiggled his fingers in an imitation of a wriggling insect. There was no reaction.

"Oh my god, what is that!" Fortune yelled in mock horror, batting at Sesshoumaru's hair, causing it to fly in all directions.

"Stop that," Sesshoumaru commanded, appearing calm despite the teasing. But, he could not resist brushing through his hair a few times, just in case.

"You've got it bad, don't you, my friend," Fortune said with a false look of concern, snorting loudly in attempt to suppress a chortle.

Sesshoumaru glowered. He was quickly reconsidering his decision not to kill the vampire.

Fortune stealthily lifted his hand up and flicked softly at Sesshoumaru's ear. "Cockroach!" He squealed girlishly.

"It wasn't funny the first time, vampire."

"Truly, Sesshoumaru, you never cease to amaze me. And, now, with this…phobia of yours. Are you certain some type of mental instability does not run in your family? I thought I was watching one of those cartoons where the elephant is hopping around on one foot in fear of a mouse. Your bug phobia is particularly hilarious."

Sesshoumaru either did not understand, or chose to ignore this comparison, "not bugs, cockroaches. And, I am not afraid of them. They are simply disgusting. I do not wish to touch them, or be touched by them, that is all." He forcefully emphasized the word "all", hoping Fortune would get the hint and shut the fuck up.

"They seem to like you an awful lot," Fortune said, pointing out the shiny back of a cockroach scurrying across the branch towards Sesshoumaru.

Sesshoumaru experimented with flaring his youki in attempt to ward off the creature. It continued its scurrying approach. "These foul creatures are unaffected by a warning spike in my youki."

Fortune sent the cockroach spiraling to the ground with a flick of his thumb and forefinger.

"Am I your hero now?"

"No, certainly not," Sesshoumaru hissed through gritted teeth. But, it seemed to Fortune that he could see thinly disguised relief in his features. You could never tell with the stoic youkai, however.

"Alright, you can thank me later." He decided he would drop the topic of cockroach phobia, at least until later when Sesshoumaru was not expecting it.

"You said you were a dog youkai. What does that mean?"

"It means exactly that, I am a dog youkai."

Fortune sighed in exasperation. "Would you prefer the topic of cockroaches again?"

Sesshoumaru's eyes darted back and forth across the branch. "I will explain later. I feel like walking." He landed below, but not without giving a sly peek at the grassy spot the cockroach had previously occupied.

"I saw that."

"One more laugh out of you and I'll…." He gave up trying to decide on one definitive type of torture. His mind was filled with a delightful barrage of images of the vampire in various types of agony. "Or, you'll truly regret it."

Fortune's eyes watered in attempt to constrain his laughter again. He clamped his fist firmly over his mouth and dropped to the ground. Youkai and vampire quickly disappeared into the gloom.

AN: "Oops" to anyone who read my previous Author's note. It was a leftover from when I posted on AFF. So…I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I will expose all of Sesshoumaru's eccentricities to the world! Will try to update quickly. About three people have mentioned they want the girl to show up again. I hadn't planned on it, but I may have to write her into chapter 7. Sounds fun. Chapter 7 has not been completed as of yet, but I have started on it. A big "thank you" to Sesshoumarubride, my first reviewer with a FF account. She liked my story enough to give two reviews—yeah! Reviews make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside, have discovered. Read and review, and feel free to make suggestions on writing or plot.


	7. Poetry

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or any of its characters. 

Late afternoon…

An impressively large jasmine vine spilled over the side of the awning covering the old hotel's entrance. A young girl brought the scented blossom to her nose. The vine climbed across the wall of the old hotel and into a nearby tree—where it had entangled itself in a knotted mass amongst the branches. It was nice, the girl thought, that the hotel's owner had saw fit to leave the wild vine. She raised the blossoms once again and breathed in the delicate fragrance. Whether because of design or neglect, the untamed growth added much to the ambience of the crumbling façade of the hotel.

At sunset…

Sesshoumaru walked slowly down the steps leading to the street, giving him ample time to breath in the scent of the jasmine blooms as he passed beneath the hotel awning. One lavender bloom brushed against his hand as he passed. The touch felt like a warm breath, and he plucked the sun-wilted bloom and brushed it against his nose, breathing in the scent. Comforting. The scent was comforting, he decided. Not a way Sesshoumaru would normally describe anything. But, the languid atmosphere in the city must be rubbing off on him. It began when he had stopped and watched the river for hours, riveted by the ebb and flow of the currents. Next, he caught himself staring up at the stars and moon—something he had not done for years, especially since the lights of the human cities had dulled their light. During the hot part of the day, he had slumped against a tree near the river and enjoyed the feeling of the breeze stirring his hair, eyes staring listlessly up at waving leaves. During the daytime, glamour firmly in place despite the nighttime freedoms he allowed himself, he had even stared at the people, albeit slyly, especially the women, enjoying the dips and curves revealed by skirts and tank tops. It had been long since he had taken any interest in anything, much less these small, insignificant pleasures. One might think that the heat had addled his brain.

Even so, his brain was not so addled that he did not know recognize that she was following him. Sesshoumaru knew that he was being followed shortly after leaving the hotel. At first, he supposed it was one of Fortune's weird games, but realized quickly it was a female. And, he was certain that this female was the girl from the other night. Why the girl had returned, Sesshoumaru could not say. After fleeing the hotel room in terror, why would she desire further contact with either him or Fortune?

At his arrival, Sesshoumaru gave Fortune a look, warning him silently not to ask about his new teenage stalker. Sesshoumaru have expected her to give up when she recognized the vampire, but she persisted. The two continued walking, wondering at the girls new- found bravery. Fortune was first to break the silence, "You smell like flowers." In answer, Sesshoumaru held up the jasmine bloom.

"Oh, I see. Pretty flowers for the girl." Sesshoumaru threw the jasmine at Fortune's face. The light flower only made it a few inches before floating lazily to the ground.

"So, do you want to ask her why she is here?"

"No."

"Do you think she will approach us, or will she will go away?"

"I don't know."

"She poses no threat. If she wishes to follow, she will follow. I, for one, will just ignore her." Fortune said, dismissing the girl from his thoughts.

With that, the two continued their conversations without reservation. They found their way to a bench—the same, in fact, that they had shared with the drunken old man many nights ago. Vampires appeared to be creatures of habit, Sesshoumaru noted, he frequented the same streets and areas, as if he was patrolling some sort of vampire territory. He was curious. "Are you territorial?"

"What are you talking about?" Fortune stretched out, his feet splayed in front of him and his hands behind his head. "Unlike some people around here, I am not a cat."

"Dog," Sesshoumaru corrected him in a bored voice. This had been the subject of many of Fortune's jokes lately.

"Oh, I did I get it wrong again? Vampires don't have territories. Why do you ask?"

"You return to the same spots, travel the same routes, streets, almost as if you were keeping an area secure."

"It might seem that way to a wolf like you..."

"Dog"

"But, I suppose it is little obsessive compulsive of me. But, it makes me more comfortable to inhabit an area with which I am familiar. Things seem to change so rapidly, humans dying all around in droves, moving in and out. New development and houses built. It is strange to venture into an area where I've been absent for, say, forty or fifty years and found all the faces strange, buildings and trees bulldozed, turned into modern storefronts, and so on."

"You remember human faces? I was under the impression that you could care less."

"Humans are…a paradox. Currently, I do not prefer the company of my own kind. But, it is not very nice to spend time with humans, either, because I always end up," Fortune paused here to consider a choice word, "hungry. I always catch myself feeling predatory and superior after trying to engage one in conversation."

"And, now you can converse with me, a youkai, with the same problem in reverse. Talking to me must make you feel terribly inferior."

"Hardly," Fortune gave him a sidelong look. "I dislike myself sometimes for feeling so predatory. I was a human once, as you know. Isn't hypocritical? But, the common ground was lost—was lost the first time I killed for blood. Finding companionship with humans is a little like the butcher's daughter growing attached to a calf meant for slaughter. One day, the calf disappears, reappearing in his shop as veal, while the butcher tells the daughter that he sent it to live at a dairy far, far away."

"What a strange, irrelevant story."

Fortune ignored this and continued, "There is part of me that desires human companionship still. But, the hungry part of me tends to get in the way of any relationship I attempt to establish. I have engaged in several friendships," Fortune spat this last word out sarcastically, "which have ended rather badly."

"Because of your hunger?"

"I sometimes think of them as my fair weather friends. Thus far, none of them have stuck around very long."

"Oh, I see. You mean you eat your friends?" Sesshoumaru was beginning to think Fortune quite deranged.

"Um, not exactly like that." Fortune lowered his eyes, thinking about this for a moment. "Well, yes, I suppose I have done that," Fortune met the accusatory glare in Sesshoumaru's eyes, "but not every time. You are still here."

"You are an insane little man, Fortune," Sesshoumaru said solemnly. He tried, but could not seem to keep a straight face—a smirk worked its way into the corners of Sesshoumaru's mouth.

"You find this funny?" Fortune was not sure how he had been drawn into discussing his personal angst and failures so casually. What was next? Fortune pictured himself crying on Sesshoumaru's shoulder wailing that his mother didn't love him. Pitiful.

Sesshoumaru snickered a little. He tried to smooth his features back into their usual blank expression, but the smile tugged at his lips again and suddenly he burst into laughter. It was a strange laugh, as if his vocal cords were not the correct shape to produce the sound—having a disfigured, staccato ring to it. The laughter only lasted for a second or two, but it surprised both Fortune and Sesshoumaru. Sesshoumaru put a hand over his lips.

"Now who's insane? That laugh of yours sounded positively maniacal. It was downright frightening. I had goose bumps." Fortune was trying to recover some of his dignity at the Youkai's expense.

"I'll try to do better next time."

"How do you know there will be a next time?"

"I am sure, my dear, lonely Fortune, that you have all sorts of ridiculous notions bouncing around in that broken mind of yours which could easily inspire further laughter."

"Tee hee. You are one to talk. I still have the bug thing on you. Do you want to wake up one night and find a cockroach crawling across your face? Or, worse," Fortune finished with a sinister whisper.

Sesshoumaru shivered. "What could be worse?"

"Never mind. Just keep civil and you won't have to find out."

"Don't make me laugh again."

The continued on idly like this until well into the night. Most of their discussions were idle--venturing aimlessly from light to serious topics—travels, modern warfare, fishing, the weather, and even family. Sesshoumaru was surprised to learn that Fortune had a family, though long dead now, with two children—a boy and a girl. All that was before he was transformed into his current state, Fortune had explained.

"Do you miss them?"

"No, it was a long time ago." Sesshoumaru did not believe him.

"What about you, you never had children of your own?"

"No."

"But, you've mentioned a brother on several occasions."

"Half-brother. Inuyasha."

"Dead?"

"Yes, he died long ago. I suppose you will just keep pestering until I tell you something more."

"Correct."

Sesshoumaru gave Fortune a strange look. He had not spoken of Inuyasha to anyone since his death. He thought of Inuyasha's tendency to get into trouble. At the time, it had annoyed and embarrassed him to no end. After centuries to mull the events over in his mind, and as he was increasingly separated from his kind (which eventually all but disappeared), after all those centuries, the events finally began to strike him as a bit funny. He began to talk.

"Inuyasha was born a hanyou—half youkai and half human."

"Did he look similar to you?"

"Not really, no. He had a set of dog ears on top of his head, and had none of these lovely markings," Sesshoumaru stoked his claws over one cheek proudly, "which are the markings which symbolize my noble birth and family lineage. He was not a taiyoukai, or a youkai lord, as I am."

"I see, your highness, that explains much about your arrogant personality. I realize you love talking about yourself, but this story is about your brother."

"Half-brother. He grew up without the trappings of nobility, as I mentioned, and soon got him into all manner of troubles. First thing he did upon reaching maturity is to fall in love." Sesshoumaru spoke as if this was obviously a dumb move on his part.

"Oh, yes, falling is love is such a crime."

Sesshoumaru ignored his sarcasm. "He fell in love with a human female. And, no, not just any human female would do for Inuyasha—she was a miko, a priestess who fought against youkai. He had in mind to steal a jewel of power which was under the miko's care—not a very noble goal, but an acceptable one nonetheless—but in the end he sacrificed his pride and family honor by loving her and then ending up sealed to a tree for fifty years by that same miko. It was quite embarrassing. I even heard rumor that he had, at one point, contemplated using a wish from the jewel to make him human." Sesshoumaru finished this in a conspiring voice, making the word 'human' sound positively dirty.

Sesshoumaru was gossiping, Fortune decided. It was just one more suspiciously feminine trait he'd uncovered in the youkai's personality.

"After being pinned in the tree by the miko's arrow, yet another miko, presumably her reincarnation broke the spell and released Inuyasha. The jewel of power was promptly broken into many pieces—certainly Inuyasha had some part in that disaster—and he then spent many years traveling the land collecting the broken shards with the second miko. As you can see, he was continually troubled by following his foolish whims."

"I'm confused."

"I was as well, at times. His life was always very complicated."

"I am certain that your life has always been free of any of those pesky complications---love, adventure, noble quests….isn't it lucky that you are such a simpleton with a simple life, Sesshoumaru."

"Dawn is approaching. Why don't I hold you down on this bench for the next hour or two?"

With that, Fortune was gone. Sesshoumaru had to admit that the vampire was fast enough when motivated correctly.

It was still daylight when Sesshoumaru ventured out of his room the next day. He had taken to resting there after sunrise for several reasons. As the sun climbed higher in the sky, it baked the pleasant scents of dew and river, as well as the sour scents from the night's merry making, into a sort of steaming, unwholesome mud-pie of rotten flavors. To the humans in the quarter, the scent was barely discernible. It only registered for the briefest of moments upon first venturing into the open air—and then, if noticed at all, they might catch a quick whiff of sour scent. But, to a dog demon, it was considerably more noticeable, and it got old fast.

As well, during the day, Fortune was not there to goad him into conversation, share witticisms, or to generally provide his annoying but substantial presence.

The first thing Sesshoumaru noticed was that the baked mud-pie and garbage scent had finally mellowed into a sickly sweet floral smell, probably due to the warmed jasmine down growing outside his window.

Secondly, he noted that there was a new scent hanging about the door as he exited the room. Sesshoumaru paused and inhaled the somewhat familiar scent of the girl. She has been standing here, Sesshoumaru thought curiously. It was then that he noticed a carefully folded slip of paper on the floor. It must have been wedged in the door frame. He bent to inspect the paper. A brief smile appeared on Sesshoumaru's lips, and, for the briefest of moments, his eyes seemed to twinkle with amusement.

Sesshoumaru folded up the paper and put it in his pocket.

Later that evening….

"Sesshoumaru," Fortune greeted cheerfully.

"Fortune," Sesshoumaru nodded, taking a seat on the familiar bench beside the vampire.

"Hm. I was thinking about what you said earlier and…," Fortune stopped mid-sentence, distracted. Sesshoumaru had taken out a scrap of paper, unfolded it and was holding it up to the light. With amazing speed, Fortune snatched the paper from his hand. Sesshoumaru was left comically staring at his empty hand. Fortune began to read aloud.

You hair flows behind like a silver mane You protected me ferrcely You bandeged me tenderly You touched me deep inside With your kindness and your beaty Who are you? You are a ghost Walking these streets Watching, waiting, Who are you waiting for?  
Are you waiting for me?

"I can only imagine where this came from." Fortune was shaking with laughter at this point.

"Indeed."

"Looks as if you have yourself a fan girl, Sesshoumaru," Fortune sneered, "you have obviously inspired her into eloquence, but you'll have to teach her how to spell."

"You are simply jealous, as usual," Sesshoumaru shot back, running his fingers through his hair, "I am beautiful and noble. And, you are just a parasite."

"I never knew that badgers were so vain."

"Dogs. And, it is not vanity if you have the goods to back it up."

"Sesshoumaru, you sound like a street prostitute."

"I am fierce, tender and beautiful. You are simply a jealous little leech."

"This girl had no idea what she was doing. In my opinion, your ego was oversized before, but now it will be massive."

"I don't need your approval. I inspire poetry."

"You are about to inspire me to vomit."

"Suit yourself, vampire."

Sesshoumaru decided he should pay his little fan girl a visit soon.

AN: I was determined to put this update out tonight because otherwise, I might find myself and my entire hometown up in flames! Wow, and now I understand why other writers say they are motivated by their reviewers. So, Thegr8sephiroth, as I am motivated to save myself and my town, here is the latest chapter. Looking forward to see what new threats are in store for me next time I delay.

Hope you enjoyed this chapter. It may not be as funny as the last, although I enjoyed writing it just as much. But, hey, how can you beat Sesshoumaru jumping around in fear of cockroaches for hilarity. As several reviewers have requested (here and there), I have brought back The Girl. She should make a more substantial appearance in the next chapter or two, and there will be hair braiding! This will extend my little story for a few more chapters than originally intended. That is just fine, since I am enjoying writing it still. I even toyed with the idea of using her to form a much longer story with a very terrible ending where everybody ended up very unhappy and alone—my first tragedy—but decided I just couldn't do that to my happy little story (tempting as it was). Thank you again, Sesshoumarusbride (Wow, THREE reviews from you--yeaaah), anon, starry, and thegr8sephiroth, for your reviews. Any tips on improving writing or plot welcome.


	8. Braids

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters. 

AN: Angst warning! It just came rolling out of my fingertips and onto the computer screen! Sesshoumaru, without Fortune around to goad him on, seems to fall into a very contemplative mood. But, don't worry, he still manages to get himself into some strange situations (as usual).

The next time Sesshoumaru exited his room, he found another folded note wedged in the door. Noting the masculine handwriting, he began to read:

_Seshomuaru, Seshomuaru  
You make my heart flutter  
And the rest of me melt like butter  
I adore your lack of expression  
I treasure your joyless face  
And, I hope you don't think me low  
That in your hair, I'd love to see a pretty, pink bow.  
You look strange when you smile  
I suppose you haven't done it in awhile  
Animation is just not your style_

_Your long hair is the color of pearl  
But I'm still not sure you aren't a girl  
You walk with such grace  
But what have you done to your face?  
Lastly, I hope your heart does not drop,  
When I tell you I saw you fall in the swamp._

Sesshoumaru's face registered no emotion. "Fortune, you moron," he said aloud to no one in particular.

Sesshoumaru had plans. These plans did not include the vampire at the moment. He stepped outside, squinting as his keen eyes adjusted to the morning sunlight. He tilted his head a little, and began to sniff carefully, a faraway look in his eyes. There she is, he thought, and began to walk. He followed her scent several miles, until his path took him into the deteriorated areas near Mazant, through a couple of lush, overgrown lots and then circled back in the same direction as he had come. Young girls, Sesshoumaru scoffed. He'd had plenty of experience with the seemingly aimless wandering of little girls. The oddest things could divert their attention, he recalled—flowers, an interesting path, a misguided sense of adventure. Plus, they did an inordinate amount of daydreaming, if he remembered correctly.

After a few more doses of memory—Rin running towards him with arms outstretched, Rin laughing and playing at the waters edge, Rin stooped and haggard, yet giving him that same clean, bright smile that never aged—Sesshoumaru started dragging his feet. After so many years, he had still not come to terms with the regret of loving her, of losing her. What made it so difficult was that he not only regretted his unexpressive nature, but also that he simply did not seem to have the capacity to feel the emotion in the way she obviously did. Emotions slipped through the holes in his heart like sand. He was never able to hold on to them for long. They were replaced by the emptiness and smoothness that was his youkai nature. Regret seemed to be the only emotion with grains coarse enough not to slip through that sieve that was his heart.

Yet, he had felt love. He remembered the feeling of it. But, it did not suit him.

He remembered the burst of warmth which would seep into his very bones as his gaze was caught and held by Rin's smiling eyes. He'd felt a strange sweetness coursing through his veins, as if his blood had been replaced by sweet, strong wine, and it left him feeling strangely content.

But, that feeling would quickly dissipate, seeping this time out of his bones and skin and back into the air, to be replaced by the cold, calculating thoughts to which he was accustomed. No, he soon realized, it never lasted, despite that bright and shining promise the warm feelings held. The promise of something more—something that would grow and flower and become rich with sweetness—never happened. Later, when Rin would do something spontaneous, such as giving him the rare hug—her arms wrapped tightly around his waist and head buried in his hoari—he would still find himself responding in kind again. He would remember his love for her, remember why it was he rarely left her side, only to have the ephemeral feelings slip through his fingers again. He grew accustomed to these failures. He could only shrug his shoulders in acceptance as each time the intense, warm feelings were readily replaced by colder urges.

The worst part of it was that it left him feeling dead. He imagined this was how the undead miko, Inuyasha's miko, felt as she walked the earth—a re-animated corpse still retaining all her warm memories of life. Her sharp intellect was still perfectly intact in that cold prison. Yes, Sesshoumaru thought, he could have lived all these years in blissful ignorance, if only he had not felt that warmth. Sesshoumaru knew that he would have also remained a total bastard, so perhaps it is best for rest of the world that these wayward emotions had mellowed him somewhat.

Sesshoumaru shook his head to dispel these thoughts. Why had his idle amusement brought such useless, tortured memories to the surface? Why must he seek out this reminder? Why risk forming another relationship where the guilt of not measuring up and resulting emptiness might haunt him as it had with her. Still, he chided himself. For an unfeeling, unemotional youkai, he was acting like an angst-ridden youth. He also could not help the feeling that this whole mess must be somehow Fortune's fault.

He had been standing in front of a residence for some time now. This must be where she lives, Sesshoumaru thought, his chaotic emotions from earlier were replaced, one by one, with a calculating calm. Despite his earlier rant, his youkai nature certainly had its advantages. Sometimes it was nice when the bad feelings just…went away.

He walked up to the door and knocked. He was not certain what he expected, he did not even know her name. But, Sesshoumaru was essentially a man of action, he did not wish to stand outside the house all day waiting for her to appear.

The girl opened the door. He saw her shocked expression—mouth gaping and eyes wide—for mere seconds before the door slammed back in his face. Then, it opened again, just as suddenly. He noticed that her face now held a look of disbelief , before she slammed the door shut in his face again. Sesshoumaru's hair gently swayed in the breeze created by the action of furiously opening and closing the door. Next, he heard the key turn in the lock. What an amusing reaction, Sesshoumaru thought, coming here was worth it after all. But, after a few minutes of staring at the door, he began feeling indignant. He was left waiting outside her door like a scolded puppy. He turned to leave, but halted quickly, head and neck twisted at an odd angle. What the..That little bitch, Sesshoumaru fumed inwardly. His hair was caught in the door. Not wanting any more torn pieces of hair, Sesshoumaru knocked again.

A face appeared in the window next to the door. Then, it disappeared.

This is getting frustrating. Is this girl insane? Sesshoumaru raised his fist and was about to start banging on the door, when the girl's face reappeared in the window.

"What do you want," her muffled voice asked.

"My hair. It has been caught in the…," Sesshoumaru barely resisted the urge to swear, "your door."

The girl looked dumbly up at him through the window.

"Please open it, NOW." Sesshoumaru commanded, voice rising in uncharacteristic anger. He was getting tired of having his hair mussed. Plus, his neck muscles were beginning to cramp due to the odd angle.

The girl disappeared again. Sesshoumaru sighed. Fortune may have claimed to have seen the swamp incident, but at least the daylight would ensure he would not witness this fiasco. He resisted the urge to leave long, deep scratches in the wooden door. He knew what happens to wild animals which have their paw caught in a trap. But, he was not about to cut off another chunk of his hair to escape. She had to come out sometime, or perhaps someone would need to enter. He could wait.

Standing there, his hair caught in the door, Sesshoumaru had a sudden, fleeting fearful thought that he might be stuck here until night and would be found by Fortune, who would mock him with that awful little laugh of his. He did not want to be subjected to anymore of Fortune's dumb jokes at his expense either.

"Hee haha! Youkai, your prissiness is beyond words. Your damn hair is not that pretty, you know….Hm. With you stuck like that, now is the perfect time for me to take another taste…." Sesshoumaru shivered at this mental image of Fortune leaned towards his jugular as he struggled to escape in the close confines of the doorway.

He heard the sound of a key turning in the lock and breathed a sigh of relief as the door slowly opened. His wayward locks now joined the others against his shoulder.

"Thank you," Sesshoumaru gritted out, and turned to leave.

"Wait," the girl squealed, sounding a little desperate. When she was sure she had Sesshoumaru's attention, she continued in a normal, though nervous, tone, "I know who you are. You can come in."

Sesshoumaru paused, pride still stinging from the hair-trapped-in-the-door incident. The girl opened the door wider and held out her hand in a welcoming gesture. I suppose, he thought, I did come all this way…

Upon entering, He was immediately overwhelmed by the stink of rotten food. He stopped in his tracks, sniffing, wondering if he could make a quick exit now without seeming too awkward. He casually put a finger over his mouth, trying to suppress a gag reflex.

The girl seemed to understand his reaction. "Sorry about the dishes. My sister made dinner a couple of weeks ago," the girl offered by way of explanation. It'll be better in here.

The girl led him to her room, quickly shutting the door behind them. The heavy scent of incense permeating the room all but shut down his sense of smell. This was not a bad thing considering the way the rest of the house smelled.

She looked around. The only chair was piled high with what appeared to be several years' worth of clean laundry. An oversized care bear was tossed to the floor and she motioned for Sesshoumaru to sit on the bed. The girl leaned against a paper lined dresser in the corner of the room, biting her nails and staring at him out of the corner of her eye. There was a long pause before either of them spoke.

"Your poem," Sesshoumaru started, but was unable to think of what to say next. Your poem touched me, and my vampire friend as well. No, that wasn't actually true. But, he knew better than to use the word amused. Thank you for taking the time to write a poem about me. That sounded too egotistical. Your poem needed a few spelling corrections. No, that was what Fortune had wanted him to say.

"Oh, that," the girl lowered her eyes, tittering nervously. "Um, is that why you are here?"

Sesshoumaru did not answer. He did not exactly know why he was here.

The girl grew nervous under his steady gaze and began to shuffle through a pile of papers on her desk, "I've got more, if you want to see them."

Sesshoumaru began to panic. He was expected to read more poems? What kind of mess had he gotten himself into. He was on the verge of standing up to leave yet again, when the girl picked up a single sheet from the pile and immediately turned bright red. "Um. I don't know why I just offered to let you read these. They are kind of, personal, you know. Would you mind if I just put them away, instead," she said, hurriedly stuffing them into a drawer. Sesshoumaru let out a sigh of relief and relaxed back down onto the bed.

"What is your name, girl?" The girl jumped at his voice. She had just been wondering why she'd invited this stranger into her room, beautiful though he was.

"Erin," she finally answered.

"And, Erin," Sesshoumaru said, trying out the name, "why have you been following me?"

"I don't know what you are talking…"

Sesshoumaru cut her off quickly, "Don't try and deny it, girl."

"Erin," the girl corrected.

"Erin, don't make me repeat myself. You will explain now." This came out more sharply than Sesshoumaru had intended.

Erin did not respond. She looked quite pale, and as if she just tried to swallow a mouth full of crackers dry. What to do, what to do, Sesshoumaru pondered. He did not want to scare her. Perhaps coming here was not such a good idea. He should say something reassuring. "I did not intend to frighten you. I only came here out of curiosity, and to discover your intentions. But, really," he chided, "trailing strange men in the middle of the night is not wise. Perhaps you should find another hobby."

"I'm not scared," she lied, "And, I only followed you because I wanted to know more about you. You saved me from your, uh, friend. And, you helped me with my scratches. I had thought, at first, that you and that other guy had kidnapped me, that's why I ran off so fast. But, when you didn't try to stop me, I figured that wasn't the case. Or, I did later. That guy you are always hanging out with, you know…"

"His name is Fortune."

"Yeah, well, he's kind of weird."

Sesshoumaru chuckled at this. "Oh, believe me, you don't know the half of it."

"Why did he attack me? He tried to, I mean, he did bite me."

"You'll have to ask him," Sesshoumaru answered, avoiding the question. "But, do not worry. He will not touch you again. I've seen to that."

"Oh, thank you, uh, what is your name?" Erin smiled shyly, her eyes now bright, no longer shadowed in fear. That look stirred up a flicker of memory, which Sesshoumaru promptly stuffed back down.

"Sesshoumaru."

"Thank you, Sesshoumaru," Erin said softly, stumbling a little over the unfamiliar word.

The girl had relaxed her guard, and now was excited at the prospect of learning more about her current fixation. Normally, she was fearless, hence the midnight wanderings. Her mother, a single parent and drug addict (Erin was not supposed to know this), had died of an overdose when she was eight. Now, she had her older sister. Her sister was mostly absent, so Erin was forced to become independent at a young age. In return for the neglect that she suffered, she was given freedom, and a lot of it. It was not that no one cared, her older sister and guardian did care. But, a twenty-something sister with a tendency toward an already bohemian lifestyle did not offer much by the way of stability, structure, and there was a distinct lack of rules. However, this overkill of freedom was much preferable to the foster homes she had shuffled through for almost two years until her older sister was granted custody. All the families were nice, but despite the fact that her sister was absent much, both mentally and physically, her house held the feelings of home that they never had.

All in all, Erin had turned out a bit wild. Not wild in the way girls might drink heavily and spread their legs to all the boys. But, wild in the 'raised by wolves' way, except that she was raised by a half-assed, hippie older sister. Her wild nature might explain her next inappropriate request.

"Um. Can I touch your hair?"

Sesshoumaru was a little surprised that this previously nervous and shy creature was making such a bold request. "Yes," he answered, worrying he would regret this.

Erin's hand twitched. She smiled and reached to touch the ends of his silver hair resting on the bed. "So soft," she whispered, her enthusiasm for hair fondling growing by leaps and bounds. She began to lift whole sections of his hair and let it slide through her fingers, slipping back down to the bed to in a fan-shaped mass. Sesshoumaru was beginning to relax as she continued her ministrations, letting his head lean back against the wall behind the bed. Grooming always relaxed the youkai.

Erin gingerly moved the lock of hair aside with which he normally covered his pointed ears. One ear had been spotted during the enthusiastic grooming. There was a sharp intake of breath, and then she paused. Erin finally began breathing again. "I knew it," she said knowingly, pushing the hair behind his ears, "I knew you weren't human. What are you? Some sort of elf? "

"No." His eyes were closed now. He was quite relaxed. He did not really want to put forth the mental effort needed to formulate an appropriate explanation for the girl. "I am a youkai," he corrected. "From Japan," he added as an afterthought.

"Yes, well, that explains the accented English." Erin was busy braiding his hair now. The way the silver strand slipped silkily through her fingers distracted her, and she did not note the lack of verbal explanation yet.

"Hm." Sesshoumaru had never realized that he had anything but perfect English. Fortune had never mentioned it. Then again, Fortune was of French origin, and spoke lightly accented English as well. Sesshoumaru sighed. The human girl had been conversing with him less than an hour and already he was allowing her to groom his hair. But, it was so nice, so calming, so relaxing. He sighed again in contentment. He tried not to think about other times when a certain young girl had busily groomed his hair as well.

"Sesshoumaru," Erin said his name carefully and accurately this time. She held up the short, butchered lock of his hair, "what happened here?"

Sesshoumaru groaned. So, it still had not grown back yet. Damn you, Fortune!

Later that evening…..

"Can you please tell me what we are standing here for?"

"We are waiting," Sesshoumaru offered by way of an answer.

"For…," Fortune was becoming accustomed to having to goad the youkai into conversations.

"For Erin. The girl who wrote the poem."

"Oh, yes, that tasty little girl."

Sesshoumaru gave Fortune a hard look.

"What did you do, Sesshoumaru, follow her home like a lost puppy?"

Sesshoumaru declined to answer.

"I cannot imagine why you would wish her to join us. What is she going to do—braid your hair while I drain the blood out of some other human?"

Sesshoumaru's unreadable expression did not change, but was beginning to wonder if Fortune was a mind reader. "No," he finally answered, also wondering why he was allowing the girl to come with them tonight.

AN2: Sesshoumarusbride—thanks for the review and for pointing out the possible problem with OOC Sess in the story. (it was the flower incident, wasn't it!) This chapter may have the same disease. Please give me some tips on keeping him in character. Or, do you think that I have already stumbled too far into OOC-land to remedy the situation?

Have a busy week coming up, and am going out of town soon. I might be able to update before I leave, if I can get myself motivated. All who read, please review and help my motivation.


	9. Dead Man Walking

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or any of its characters.

Fortune peered suspiciously over at the girl walking on the other side of Sesshoumaru. "How old are you, girl?"

Her light brown hair billowed out slightly in the breeze. There had been rain off and on for the past few days, and the resulting light breeze helped make up for the grey and dismal atmosphere. Fortune studied the girl's face, and found it unremarkable except for her rather serious green eyes. Those eyes met his, a flash of panic crossing her features upon finding herself the object of such scrutiny. She turned away quickly. 

She then looked up at Sesshoumaru, as if asking permission to answer, and leaned up to whisper something in his ear. 

"She's fourteen," Sesshoumaru stated. 

Fortune narrowed his eyes at this exchange. The girl had turned their comfortable twosome into an awkward threesome, and already she appeared to have the stoic youkai wrapped around her grubby little fingers. It was really some sort of sickness, Fortune decided, the youkai was too tightly wound up and emotionally constipated for his own good. Spending time with the girl must be some sort of warped outlet for his softer, gentler side—a side locked deep inside the recesses of the youkai's twisty-turny mind. Any powerful immortal that can have the pants scared off him by roaches must have a few screws loose rolling around under all that pretty hair. 

Fortune glanced up at the youkai—his face was a mask of perfect nothingness. Hm. He could be wrong about the emotion thing, after all, still…there must be something unusual which was causing Sesshoumaru's attentions to be held by this human girl. Did it have something to do with being a dog youkai? Could this be an outlet for his instinctive doggie need to protect? Whatever it was, it was certainly out of character and not in tune with the dangerous and arrogant youkai Fortune had come to know. Fortune could only guess the shock others around Sesshoumaru must have felt when he had taken up with the little girl, Rin, five centuries previous. 

Frustrated at his inability to dissect the youkai's intentions, he turned his attention to the human girl. And, whatever did a teenage girl see in a youkai, Fortune wondered not a little jealously. This situation was wrong in so many ways. It is not as if he even talked to her, or, even looked at her very often, for that matter. He seemed to ignore her. This was not unexpected. Sesshoumaru always seemed to ignore Fortune as well, but that was different. Fortune could always draw the youkai out using his conversation skills or by resorting to all-out taunting. This girl was not attempting any sort of communication whatsoever, unless she was communicating telepathically—and if he thought the company dull, he was quite sure a teenage girl must be bored out of her skull. 

Sesshoumaru's voice interrupted his ruminations. "We will accompany Erin to purchase food."

"We will accompany Erin to purchase food," Fortune mimicked in a high, wheedling voice under his breath. The girl certainly did not hear, but Fortune hoped that Sesshoumaru would get the picture. In Fortune's opinion, he was he kissing her ass like some besotted groupie. Shouldn't it be the other way around, Fortune thought, beginning to find the situation vexing.

Why was she here? What did she want? Why associate herself with a vampire and a rather dull youkai? 

After deciding that a slip of a girl did not belong in their little boy's club, Fortune had already come up with a fitting nickname for the girl—'conniving little bitch'. Of course, he would keep her nickname to himself for now. What mundane activity would she require of the youkai next? He had a sudden image of Sesshoumaru following Erin around an amusement park carrying a teddy bear and a big, red balloon.

Sesshoumaru noted Fortune's brooding and jealous behavior. He was finding it quite amusing. It reminded him of Jaken when he had brought Rin into their midst as a new, seemingly useless traveling companion. What Rin lacked in utilitarian skill, however, she made up in sheer entertainment value. Watching her and Jaken bicker, and especially when she would assault the toady youkai, was a more pleasant distraction than he had ever thought possible. Oh, Rin was no match for the wiry little youkai in strength, but the threat of what Sesshoumaru would do to him if he fought back left him to take the brunt of Rin's practical jokes—rocks, sticks and other projectiles—and childish tantrums. After a few, particularly trying days, Jaken had just sat at the edge of the campsite cowering in fear, holding his pounding head and trying to keep sanity in check. It was a perfect outlet for a young, spirited girl's energy, and a perfect distraction for Sesshoumaru. Rin's normally pleasant disposition and pure heart kept the teasing and confrontations from escalating too far, despite Jaken's immense talent for subjugation. Perhaps it was that very entertainment value that prevented the youkai from noticing when his little indulgence inched and pinched her way into becoming a vital and indispensable part of his own heart. 

All told, the current situation was bafflingly reminiscent of many days spent traveling with Jaken and Rin so many years ago.

Sesshoumaru walked at a steady slow pace through the forest, Jaken and Rin following closely behind.

"Jaken, Jaken, why don't the birds let me catch them. Jaken, can't you catch a bird for me. Jaaakeeen, if you don't answer me, Sesshoumaru-sama will be very put out with you 'cause then I'll have to ask him…," Rin wheedled.

"What!" Jaken waddled to catch up to her, "you stupid girl. You are to address me with your useless questions, not Sesshoumaru-sama, and I am not…"

"Jaken, there goes another one. Catch one for me pleeeasse."

"I will not, you useless female. Leave me alone or I'll…"

BONK

"Aaaahhh, what did you do that for, you little viper! I will not put up with this insolence…."

"Jaken."

"Oh, yes, yes, milord. I am sorry for all the commotion…"

"I threw the rock."

"Oh, yes, I did deserve that certainly…"

"Damare."

"Yes, mi.." Jaken stopped in mid-sentence under his lords penetrating gaze, quickly covering his mouth with his tiny hand before any more words escaped.

Stopping on the street, Sesshoumaru wondered why his memory had pulled such a trivial event out of the dark recesses of his mind, but he still smiled briefly. He could recall many similar instances. It was fairly typical of what happened when Rin had nowhere to channel her boundless enthusiasm for life and had reached her limits of boredom. Ah, Rin and Jaken—how he had missed the girl's warm company and even his sycophantic follower as well. In a gesture of habit and affection, Sesshoumaru picked up another rock and aimed it at Jaken's head. 

BONK

"What the fuck!"

Sesshoumaru blinked, and shook his head slightly—the images of Rin, Jaken and medieval Japan melted down his vision like rainwater, replaced by the grey of concrete sidewalks, brick walls, and a massive live oak tree. Did he just….forget where he was? Had his powerful memories caused him to loose his grip on reality and addle his brain?  
No, that was quite impossible, he decided quickly. He reassured himself that he had simply been reminiscing, and had thrown the rock at Fortune because the vampire reminded him of his past servant. 

Fortune lobbed the rock back at Sesshoumaru, who dodged easily. What did he do to deserve that? Where did he even find the blasted rock in the first place, Fortune wondered, rubbing the back of his head. "If you want to play baseball, youkai, I am more than happy to find a nice, hard bat and show you how it's done."

Instead of a derisive look or snort at the veiled threat, or even a responding threat, the youkai simply looked dazed. It is just as well, the vampire sighed, back to being ignored then.

That is when he heard the sputter. He turned and saw that the sound was coming from behind the youkai. It was the girl. She had both her hands pressed to her mouth, and her shoulders were shaking in what could only be laughter, at his expense no less. "You girl, what is wrong with you," Fortune snapped, "you had better not have told the youkai to…," he stopped there, reconsidering, "you gave him that rock, didn't you," he accused. With that, she gave up trying to suppress the laughter and her laughter spilled out of her mouth in a high, tinkling giggle, "Hee heee heee hee." 

All Fortune could think was "What a strange laugh. He must be coaching her."

Fortune had opted out of the food buying expedition in favor of acquiring some dinner of his own. He normally only had to feed once a week or even less, but if for any reason he waited any longer he would often feed several days in a row after his hunger had festooned into a feeding frenzy worthy of any great white shark. And, sometimes, like most creatures, he would eat out of boredom. But, tonight, he was eating to try and quell the irritation he felt at having to spend the evening with the unwanted, as least by him, hangers on named Erin. On a dark street, Fortune crouched beside his victim, thinking the man's blood had not satisfied him in the least and wondering if he should ditch the youkai and girl for good. Having to endure dull company was one thing, but having it irritate him enough to loose his ability to enjoy the taste of blood was another.

Sesshoumaru and the girl were almost on him before he noticed, as he was now thoroughly occupied with contemplating how best to get rid of the human girl while making it look like an accident. 

Sesshoumaru growled at the vampire, seeing him crouching beside the dead man. He did not wish for Erin to see the vampire and his recent kill. Sesshoumaru wondered why this had not dawned on him when he smelled the now familiar faint scent of blood mixed with Fortune's scent. But, when he arrived, he recalled suddenly that Erin did not comprehend exactly what Fortune was—she likely thought him youkai as well. He was not eager to enlighten her that his friend was an undead killer who lived off the blood of her kind. Not that he was any less familiar or comfortable with death than the vampire, but he did not wish to explain that to Erin now either.

Glancing over at Erin, he saw that though she looked concerned, she did not seem to grasp the enormity of the situation. Good, he thought and decided a lie was the best way to avoid any awkward questions, or possibly terrified shrieks. "Fortune, you and your drunken friend are obviously busy here, so Erin and I will continue to the park so that she may eat her dinner."

"Oh," Fortune began, quickly catching the meaning behind Sesshoumaru's words, "yes, I found my old friend, Bubba, lying here unconscious. Been hitting the whiskey a little too hard, haven't you, Bubba. Phew!" Fortune waved his hand vigorously in front of his face, "you reek! This is the last time I help you out after one of your binges."

"Do as you wish, we are leaving." Sesshoumaru said curtly, eager to depart before Erin questioned the strange situation before them. He stepped over the dead man and walked in the direction of the park.

"Oh, don't you worry," Fortune called after him with a hint of menace in his voice, "I'll happily accompany you two as well. But, since I cannot leave my friend, Bubba, here, to the dangers of the night, I will just have to take him with us."

"What." Sesshoumaru stopped in his tracks. He turned and saw Fortune hoisting the corpse up and looping its left arm over Fortune's shoulder. Though Sesshoumaru's expression did not change, he did arch an eyebrow when the vampire began to move forward, dragging his late victim with him. This scene confirmed his suspicions that the vampire was, indeed, completely insane. 

"Bubba, you are heaaa-vy," Fortune laughed, "you are lucky I am such a nice guy." The dead man's head was pitched forward at an odd angle, arm falling from its place around Fortune's neck, but the vampire tightened his grip around the man's waist, holding him up easily so that only his limp shoes drug the ground as he walked forward. Unless, like Erin, you were none the wiser, the scene was decidedly gruesome. Despite the youkai's outwardly calm expression, he was seething inside. Fortune's practical joke was going too far this time. He was not about to allow the vampire to drag a corpse around all evening. The entire thing was highly demented, but the vampire's behavior did not surprise him in the least.

Fortune continued dragging the corpse until he was standing flush with Sesshoumaru and Erin. "Come on, Bubba," he chuckled to himself. Erin did not seem concerned, she was busy fishing a potato chip out of the paper sack she carried. With her dull human senses, he surmised, she could not readily decipher that this man was actually dead, not simply unconscious. Assessing the situation, he could think of no easy way to be rid of Fortune without alerting the girl that something was amiss. Keeping this in mind, Sesshoumaru decided to allow Fortune's little charade to continue for the time being, hoping he would soon tire of it.

They continued for some time, Fortune still merrily dragging the corpse, while Sesshoumaru made a point of ignoring it. Erin tried to get a glimpse of the man's face from her vantage point beside Sesshoumaru. "Um. Will he wake up soon?"

"I don't think so."

"Will he be okay?"

"Oh, he'll be as well as can be expected," Fortune was on the verge of bursting into giggles at this point.

"Is he hurt?"

"Oh, no, not in the least," Fortune assured her with a little too much enthusiasm.

"Just drunk, huh," Erin clarified for herself. "A couple of times, at one of my sister's parties, a few of her friends got so drunk that they passed out like that."

"I see. A few of them ended up like my friend here?" Fortune had a wicked gleam in his eye at this, "your sister must not have decided that they were not very good friends, then."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, obviously, if she killed…"

"Fortune," Sesshoumaru interrupted warningly.

"As I was saying, obviously, it must have been a killer party, then," Fortune finished, staring at the youkai innocently.

"Oh," Erin replied, not really wanting to know what that strange exchange was about. It was better that she did not talk to Fortune anyways, since he appeared half-crazy, had attempted to harm her in the past and did not seem to like her very much.

Arriving at the park, Erin ran over and seated herself on the nearest bench, eagerly opening her package of potato chips and pulling a muffaleta sandwich out of a brown paper sack. Sesshoumaru took advantage of the distance to address Fortune's appalling behavior. 

"What the hell do you think you are doing, you bloodsucking parasite," Sesshoumaru gritted through his teeth in a low voice.

Despite his ever calm appearance, Fortune knew that the youkai must be quite angry if he stooped to name calling. "What is the matter, Sesshoumaru, jealous of my new friend. You have your new friend, why can't I have one as well? Mine is no less dull. Isn't that right, Bubba?" Fortune patted his new friend amicably on the shoulder.

"You're new friend is a corpse."

"I realized that."

"Get rid of it."

Fortune gave him a look of mock horror, "did you hear that, he wants me to abandon you, Bubba!" Fortune grasped the dead man's hair and pulled his face up so that his gaze seemed to meet his own, "I think he's a just a tad jealous, don't you, Bubba?"

"Who do you think you are holding a conversation with, his ghost?"

"Oh, so now you think you can be funny all of a sudden after ignoring me in favor of that twit all evening."

Both were silent for a long moment, seeming to be sizing one another up. Sesshoumaru was the first to speak, "You can't drag the corpse around all night," he said logically.

"Just watch me."

"Then leave us, and you can have the entire night to get to know your friend, Bubba, better."

"No, no, I don't think so. Bubba and I are enjoying your company even if you don't feel the same."

Sesshoumaru merely stared at him in disgust. "Your behavior is hideously bizarre. I can always kill you."

"Can always try to kill me," Fortune corrected, "but I suppose my little joke has run its course. Perhaps it is best that Bubba here is left reclining on the bench to sleep off his hangover."

"That sounds wise."

"I'll just set him down beside Erin. I'll explain to her when we leave."

"Explain what, exactly," Sesshoumaru asked suspiciously.

"Only that Bubba will be safe for the night here, and he'll wake tomorrow with a throbbing headache," Fortune answered innocently.

As the three were leaving, Fortune made a big show of rearranging his friend's mussed hair and shirt collar, "wouldn't want him to wake up looking messy, now would we."

Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes. Fortune's sense of humor was ghastly. He wondered at what point, exactly, in his long lifetime, the vampire had lost his sanity.

AN: Sorry so long in updating. I was out of town. Will update in a few days. As always, thanks so much for the reviews! They really make writing worth it! 


	10. Touchy Feely

Content warning: Fortune tries to touchy feely on Erin. But, don't worry; he's only after her blood.

AN: Had to delete and re-post this after yesterday. Somehow, I only managed to post the last half of this chapter, so here it is in its entirety!

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or any of its characters.

The next night, Fortune and Erin stood waiting for Sesshoumaru to arrive. The clouds of the previous day had cleared to reveal a cold full-moon shining down on the hot, humid city below. Erin was staring up at the night sky, at the overgrown palm to her left, at her feet—anywhere but at Fortune. Fortune was irritated that he was left alone with the girl. What was he now, a babysitter? He scowled down at the girl. But, as the wheels of his depraved little mind began to rotate, his scowl transformed itself into an increasingly maniacal grin. 

Erin watched a small brown bird try to extricate a flattened french-fry stuck between the worn sidewalk paving and a metal grate. She moved forward to help by poking at the french-fry with the tip of her shoe, but the little bird flew off in a blur of brown feathers. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught Fortune staring at her rather intently, a wicked looking smile on his face. She turned away quickly, but could still feel Fortune's eyes boring into the back of her head. 

Fortune stepped closer to the girl. She stepped back quickly; her nervousness apparent…Fortune grabbed her arm just above the elbow and pulled her up against his chest. Erin struggled, her head ducked down so as not to have to meet his eyes. Fortune's grip tightened painfully, pulling her even closer thereby forcing her head to rest on his chest. "Hold still, you conniving little bitch," he hissed close to her ear. Erin trembled, but ceased her struggles.

Fortune felt a thrill run down his spine. The struggles of his victims had not stirred this kind of excitement in Fortune in such a long time. He dug his dull nails into her arm just for good measure, causing her to whimper against his chest. Oh, but how he was going to enjoy this—pity he would have to control his bloodlust, for now at least. Leaning in again close to her ear, he continued in a menacing whisper, "You, girl, if you persist in seeking the company of myself and the youkai every night, I may loose my patience with you. Someone may very well be pulling your body from a dumpster one night quite soon. I don't like you. Whatever it is you seek through our company, seek it elsewhere." Fortune dug his nails into her arm once again, tempted to draw blood in any way he could find.

The girl was very still during Fortune's inauspicious monologue, but he could tell by the rapid flutter of her heart against his chest that she was having a little trouble coming to terms with what he'd had to say. He could feel her warm breath through the thin cotton of his shirt---but it was regular and steady and she did not tremble now. She must be taking lessons from Sesshoumaru on providing a cool front, Fortune thought, amused by his own silent joke.

To any onlookers, which there were none, the two might have seemed two lovers sharing a tender embrace. Even had Sesshoumaru arrived at this very moment, by sight, he might find it difficult to determine whether Erin's cheek was not resting against the vampire's chest in a comfort-seeking gesture, and that Fortune's lips pressed low against her hair was not whispering endearments. Of course, being youkai, he would have easily picked up the accelerated heartbeat, as well as noting the malicious upward curve of Fortune's sensual lips. 

Neither Fortune nor the girl made a move. The girl was scared shitless, while Fortune's reluctance was due to fighting an exceptionally strong urge to move his lips a little bit lower and finish what he started on yet another evening. 

"I can't help but find you appealing, my dear Erin." He felt an inordinate amount of satisfaction feeling her name rolling off his tongue. 

"Erin," Fortune again breathed the name lustily into her ear. This sometimes happened, the objective part of his mind registered. When the urge to drink was strong, he might feel something akin to carnal desire for his intended, mixed with the adrenaline pounding through his veins. 

Finally, he pushed her back and turned away quickly to regain control of his riotous hunger. After few moments, Fortune looked over his shoulder and saw the girl standing as if rooted to the spot. "Do I have to spell it out for you, little girl, leave or I will kill you."

The girl seemed to snap out of the trance in which his sadistic rant had put her. "You will not," she said with no small amount of conviction, surprising Fortune quite a lot.

"What," Fortune veritably spat. 

"You did not kill me before, or just now. And, you will not kill me. He won't let you." 

"Oh." Fortune raised an eyebrow and turned towards her.

"Yes, Sesshoumaru told me so. Just keep your hands off, you sick perv, and threats to yourself!"

Fortune was not done yet. He was never one to back down from establishing just who had the upper hand in a situation. "Yes, yes, it's true. I will have to keep my hands to myself." He sighed here for effect.

It worked, "well, yeah, that's right. And, don't forget it…uh, please." Having Fortune in such close proximity not only terrified her, but also gave her a slightly giddy sensation that being near a boy of the opposite sex usually did, except that Fortune was not a boy. 

"Of course, I will. I always do. I always wait patiently until he gets bored."

"Bored? What do you mean by that?"

"Oh, yes, bored. But, don't worry; it usually takes at least a week. Although, his last girlfriend only lasted about a…"

"I'm not a girlfriend!"

"As I was saying, she only lasted a few days before he let me have her," Fortune continued with an air of imparting confidences between close friends, "he really is a slut you know, moving from human to human, seducing young girls and then tossing them aside after a few days of entertainment…"

Fortune was interrupted by the sound of retreating sobbing. His cruel lies had finally hit their mark! Fortune almost jumped up and down in glee. He would be rid of the girl's niggling presence at last. The fact that she had only been a presence for a matter of days did nothing to dampen the feeling of having usurped an interminable force.

Quickly, Fortune's smug grin began to droop. The girl had indeed made a quick departure, but it was not as far as Fortune would have liked. She merely ran a total of twenty feet before escaping to cry her eyes out in a public toilet. 

Fortune sighed. He should have been more sexually explicit in his attempts at mendacity, perhaps even painting a nasty conspiracy between himself and the youkai to befriend, and then brutally torture and murder young girls. He could have added a thing or two about pretending to read and enjoy the poetry of these hapless victims while snickering about it unkindly behind their backs. Assuredly, that would have sent her running at least a couple of blocks further.

Fortune leaned back against a near by wall. No point in leaving her behind, he thought, the youkai's sharp nose would tell him exactly where she was. And, it certainly did. Sesshoumaru arrived within moments, stopping before Fortune and staring at him fixedly.

"See something you like, handsome?"

Sesshoumaru made no reply to Fortune's attempt at humor. Where was Erin? His instincts told him that something was awry. He stepped closer to Fortune, once again looking him up and down carefully, his face an impassive mask, and sniffed. Sesshoumaru's eyes widened a fraction, the only indication that he had realized something was wrong, but otherwise his impassive expression gave away no trace of emotion. 

And that, Fortune decided, was his cue to sport his best predatory grin. Yes, Fortune thought with no little satisfaction, let him think for at least a little while that the girl is lying dead in some stinking alleyway. At that thought, Fortune's grin faltered a fraction. For some reason, that image was not nearly as appealing as he had expected.  
Sesshoumaru did not notice this hesitation. His current occupation was deciphering why Erin's scent was all over the vampire. In fact, Fortune was doused in her scent in places inappropriate for any innocent explanation to suffice.

Where was Tenseiga when you needed it, Sesshoumaru sighed. One possessed the sword of heaven, thereby possessing the power to open the path between this world and the next, and it was not even around when you needed it. Likely, Tenseiga was bucking in its sheath now back in Japan—sensing urgency—eager to save more lives of more young girls after so long abandoned to dormancy on the wall of Sesshoumaru's apartment. 

Sesshoumaru gave Fortune an appraising look. He longed to slap that self-satisfied smirk off his face. With friends such as these, he reflected, what less could he expect? "Fortune," Sesshoumaru began coldly. Something in Sesshoumaru's voiced caused the vampire to flinch visibly in preparation of what would come next. But, Sesshoumaru paused here, fixing the vampire with a chillier than usual stare. He did not know whether to scold him, or to kill him outright.

Before Sesshoumaru had a chance to decide, Erin opened the door of the women's bathroom a few feet away, paused briefly, squinting at the tense exchange between the two males through eyes red and puffy from crying. Sesshoumaru looked up in surprise, "Erin, I see you are well. Fortune, you may continue living for the time being," he nodded and turned his back on the vampire. At this, Erin's expression changed to one of adoration and she bounded up to him. To his dismay, she wrapped her arms around his waist and began blubbering out unintelligible phrases, "he said you were…I didn't believe that jerk at all, you aren't planning to kill me and I don't believe you had another girlfriend last week…and I'm not your girlfriend. You're just nice guy, I can tell," Erin said this last bit peeking around at Fortune and giving him a look that said, 'die, you piece of shit'. Fortune crossed his arms over his chest and blew her a kiss. Sesshoumaru turned stiffly towards Fortune, acting as if he did not have an emotional human girl belted to his waist, and glared. 

Fortune only gave a slight shrug and continued grinning. He felt satisfied to have been the recipient of two death glares in the space of a minute. Certainly, he must be doing something right.

None of this made much sense to Sesshoumaru, but he was satisfied that, whatever happened, it had not involved Fortune's teeth in Erin's neck. If the vampire wanted to make trouble for himself, that was his problem. Sesshoumaru had learned from experience the havoc a young girl was capable of causing when inspired.

"Jaaaken, where is my mirror"

"What? Leave me alone you stupid girl."

"But, Jaken, it was the one that Sesshoumuaru-sama gave me last year. You didn't take it out AhUn's pack, did you? And, what about the other things I can't find—my comb, my hair pins, my new kimono…"

"What makes you think you yourself did not forget them. They are probably underneath all the blankets—now leave me alone I said!"

Sesshoumaru was not really paying attention to this exchange, but the hint of desperation in Jaken's wheedling voice caused him to perk up his ears. He hoped that Jaken had not yet again left the girl's personal belongings behind in favor of his nauseating trail snacks. The last time that had happened, Sesshoumaru had been annoyed almost to the point of murdering Jaken after being subjected to Rin's nonstop long-suffering sighs and shrill complaints—the sighs being the worst. He would not stand for it again. 

Rin was frantically emptying the contents of the pack when she screamed in anger. "Jaken, what are These doing here," Rin held up a good-sized basket of dried, stinking lizard carcasses. "And these," she pulled out a bundle of misshapen roots tied with rough twine. "Jaken, you did, didn't you. You left all my things out so that you could fit your revolting dried lizards and stupid dirty roots! What am I going to do when we arrive at Inuyasha's village now. I'll look like shit and I'll have nothing to wear! What will everyone think! I'll get you for this, Jaken."

"What are you going on about, you silly girl, it's not like anyone looks at your ugly hair or face anyways. No one cares if you are dressed in dirty clothes either—I'm sure everyone expects you to look like a uncivilized heathen that you are with all the wild shenanigans they had to put up with last time you were there. Inuyasha's wench is likely still trying to get that blood stain out of that obi…"

That was not my fault," Rin screeched, causing Sesshoumaru to wish he could cover his ears without appearing undignified, "Eito busted his knee and I was just trying to bandage it."

Jaken sputtered at this, "He busted his knee? I think it was you who was wrestling with the boy, vastly inappropriate behavior for a twelve year old girl in case you did not know, in the mud right in the center of the village. Even this Jaken was at a loss for words."

"How dare you mention that again," Rin's voice was suddenly flinty, making the hairs on the back of the little demon's neck stand on end. She had become amazingly adept at utilizing a deadly threatening tone, something she had picked up from living with Sesshoumaru. And, unfortunately, even if her own threats were not dangerous enough, she had back up in the form of a very handsome, silver haired, dashing…

While Jaken's thoughts wandered to the many positive attributes of his centuries old crush, the cogs and wheels in the crafty section of Rin's fourteen year old brain were spinning at a ferocious rate. 

Five days later, Jaken came stumbling into Edo, hunched over and weighted down by a significant number of kimonos and other items neatly packed into an enormous bag that dwarfed the small imp. "Here you are," he huffed, " here are Rin's things—five of her best kimonos, two mirrors, a dozen hair pins, a gallon of water from the castle well, her set of marble carvings, her wooden practice swords and both her best and second-best Katanas . I returned back to the castle on foot and gathered them just as requested." 

"What about my hair brush," Rin asked innocently.

"Whah," the imp guffawed.

"I expect you back here within three days with my hairbrush, Jaken." 

"But, but.."

"What is it," Rin asked coldly.

"It takes at least five days…"

"Sesshoumaru-sammaaa," Rin began loudly, even though he was within hearing distance.

"Yes, three days, right away."

"And, Jaken," Rin paused here for effect.

"Yes, Rin," Jaken was biting his tongue and counting to ten.

"Can you also bring me my Koto. I wanted to play it for Kagome."

"What? Why you little…"

Both Sesshoumaru and Rin turned and gave Jaken a scathing look.

"I mean, Yes, of course." Jaken hung his head, defeated.

Three days later Jaken arrived holding the hair implement with the Koto strapped to his back, and then collapsed into a heap in the dirt, promptly falling asleep. He slept there for two whole days. One or two days after that, the two were back to bickering again, as usual.

Fourteen year-olds seemed to possess their own special blend of cruelty and temporary insanity when slighted. Sesshoumaru almost felt sorry for the vampire.

Disclaimer2: I forgot to put this at the end of Chapter 9—once again, no Bubbas have been harmed in the writing of this fiction. (except for a black eye received after grabbing Erin's behind—that sick pup! She's a minor!)

AN! I wasn't sure how the humor would come off in the last chapter, glad you likey. Fortune does some sick things in the name of humor. Thanks so much Botticelliangel, Sesshoumarusbride, Hesha07, and Golden for your reviews. Reviews really help to make writing this story loads of fun. ? 


	11. News

AN: Yeah, an entire chapter where nothing really happens! I suppose sometimes filler is necessary to get to the next chapter, hope it's not too bad. 

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or any of its characters.

The young girl trudged through the waves of heat rising off the sidewalk, mitigated only by the occasional breath of cool evening air. She wore a glazed look in her eyes as if her mind were elsewhere. Her hair was tied into two disheveled buns on top of her head, and though her shirt was more than several seasons out of style (a hand me down from her sister—at least it was clean), the cuffs of her jeans were turned up stylishly and she was proud of the new black Vans her sister had surprised her with for her birthday last month. She was thinking about the face she'd seen on TV—it was Bubba.

Erin had seen Bubba on TV, not as she had seen him a few nights before, in a golf shirt and jeans, but a photo of him which looked as if it might have come from his college yearbook. Bubba was giving the television audience a carefree smile, his brown eyes nearly hidden beneath his tousled bangs. The droning newscaster had stated that he was found dead the previous morning, the exact time and cause of death uncertain. There had been other recent murders in the city, which the news did not mention in such detail. New Orleans was known for its high murder per capita rate—often surpassing larger cities such as New York. However, Bubba had been from a notable New Orleans family and, Erin learned much to her surprise, his name was actually Anthony Lefoldt. 'Bubba' must have been his nickname, Erin supposed. Poor Bubba, or Anthony, Erin thought.

Erin decided to put aside her grudge against Fortune, at least for now, given the bad news. Currently, she was on her way to meet the two of them. She would not have to be in his presence long, since her sister was expecting her to return shortly—tonight was 'cleaning night.' Their air conditioner was on its last legs, so any cleaning during the daytime was out of the question. Actually, 'cleaning night' was supposed to happen every Tuesday, but it always seemed to be put off until neither could stand the smell—which was about once every month or so.

Soon, Erin spotted the two men waiting for her beside the Mazant signpost, not the usual meeting place, but it was nearer to her house. Sesshoumaru was quite accommodating to her requests. Despite his stern expression and reticent behavior, he seemed pleased with her presence. Moving past Sesshoumaru, Erin approached Fortune, causing him to look a bit surprised. Fortune wondered why the girl was showing him any interest after his attempts to drive her off yesterday. He should not be surprised, he reasoned, since he was devastatingly handsome after all. People often found it hard to resist his ample charms. Why, he was hoping that even the youkai…

"Fortune, I am so sorry to hear about Bubba," Erin asked, interrupting his train of thought.

"Bubba who," Fortune responded curtly.

Erin narrowed her eyes at Fortune. The jerk was purposefully trying to be rude in order to avoid conversation. However, he had obviously not heard about his friend, so she resolved not to take the bait. "You know who I mean, Bubba from the night before. I guess you don't know. I'm sorry to have to tell you he's dead."

"He is!" Fortune threw up his hands and widened his eyes in mock horror, giving his pale features a ghastly appearance.

Erin was silent for a moment. Fortune certainly was one weird looking guy. His grey eyes seemed to glow with an eerie light, too bright for his pasty face. Compared to Sesshoumaru's pale skin (Erin had called it 'moon-kissed' in one of her secret poems), Fortune's pasty skin had a lifeless appearance. Even though he did exhibit a much greater range of expressions across his pallid features, they never seemed to have the warmth and glow Erin usually associated with good health. Perhaps he was sickly, Erin guessed. Could youkai get sick? His hair was nice, though—a thick mass of dark hair falling to his shoulders—not nearly as long and beautiful as Sesshoumaru's however, Erin thought smugly. Finally, after having her fill of mulling over Fortune's curious features, Erin continued sadly, "he was found dead, the same day we left him on the bench. I am afraid someone might have got him after all."

"Really, I wonder who could that have been," Fortune asked, giving Sesshoumaru a playful wink. Sesshoumaru ignored him, staring off into the distance. He had not been paying attention. But, he now recognized that this might be conversation he should monitor. Fortune was likely to say something problematic to Erin.

"And his name is really Anthony. Was Bubba his nickname?"

"Um, no, just a name I made up. He looked like a Bubba to me."

"Do you think someone found him on the bench and killed him right after we left?"

"Nope," Fortune answered, biting his lip.

"Oh, do you think so? I was so worried it was our fault for leaving him," Erin paused here since Fortune had suddenly turned away, his shoulders shaking slightly. "Fortune, what's wrong? Was he a good friend?"

Erin now looked at Sesshoumaru for help. "Is Fortune going to be all right?"

Sesshoumaru face wore an even more inscrutable expression than usual. He made no reply, but for some reason, his face reminded Erin of her sister's when she tried not to laugh at her attempts to play the guitar. She was an exceedingly poor guitar player. As she waited, she noticed the beginnings of a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. Erin thought she must be seeing things—why would Sesshoumaru smile in this situation? As she watched, his face reformed into a grimace, and then he too turned away.

Out of the corner of his eye, Fortune watched all of this, and could hold himself back no longer, "Mmaaaafaaaahahaaa," strange, high peels of laughter escaped his lips. He turned back towards the other two, his eyes watering. Fortune realized that it looked as if he were ready to shed tears, instead of merely trying to hold in his laughter, so he decided to use the potential water-works to his advantage, "Oh, Bubba, I will miss you, my friend." Fortune dabbed theatrically at his watering eyes, once again in control of himself, but still enjoying the joke nonetheless.

Utterly ridiculous, Sesshoumaru thought to himself, but even so could not resist goading Fortune further—he reached out and patted Fortune on the shoulder, "you will miss your friend." This gesture was answered by more shrill, resounding laughter from Fortune. Sesshoumaru's shoulders even gave a shudder, though his iron control did not yield.

The girl stepped back from the two males. What the hell was going on? What had she said that was so funny? The two should not be laughing at Bubba/Anthony's death like this. The poor guy.

"But…he's dead."

This elicited another peal of laughter from Fortune, who seemed to have crossed some sort of line where everything was hilariously funny. Sesshoumaru, on the other hand, had regained his composure, though Erin had not thought much of his earlier lapse, overshadowed by Fortune's craziness as it was. Also, she did not know the youkai well enough yet to understand that any hint of emotion was atypical—other than the occasional look of irritation, which currently graced his features as he now glared at the vampire. "Yamero," he commanded.

"What," Fortune sputtered out between snickers.

"Enough." Sesshoumaru did not want to scare the girl off with this inexplicable and bizarre behavior. Erin's innocence was important to the youkai. It was not that he wanted to lie to her, or hide his or Fortune's true nature from her because he felt any shame or regret. But, he was protective of Erin and realized that, as a young human girl, it was best to assume that she lacked the capacity to understand either of the two non-human's callousness and irreverence for life.

"Yes, yes," strangely obedient, Fortune stifled his laughter. But, when the vampire opened his mouth speak again, Sesshoumaru almost cringed. His acquiescence had been too good to be true. "Oh, Bubba. I will miss you so. You were so, so….so compliant, so filled with blood, and self-sacrificing, especially near the end, and most of all, Bubba, you filled a need in all of us, or at least in me." This last statement left Fortune feeling quite witty, though the languorous feeling of uncontrolled hilarity now escaped him. He satisfied himself with a smug look. He tried another, "you filled me up as no other could that fine evening," but his humor was beginning to loose momentum.

"Filled with blood," Erin questioned, wondering at Fortune's odd choice of words. He was an odd guy, though.

"Oh, yes, that is an old French saying, meaning someone is filled with life," Fortune explained, the lie rolling off his tongue easily. He was unable to think of any further witticism and was finally beginning to loose interest in the joke altogether.

Based on Fortune's strange eulogy, Erin was wondering if Fortune was gay, and if he and Bubba had…she quickly decided not to continue on that particular train of thought. Ew.

One thing was certain, she decided, he seemed to be making a lot of strange jokes at his late friend's expense. At this thought, Erin's animosity towards Fortune increased—he not only tried to intimidate me, but laughs at his friend's death. What a creep. Erin's mind now turned to the topic of revenge. What could she do to teach Fortune not to mess with her? Erin decided to ask Sesshoumaru for advice next time they were alone.

"Well, I'm sorry you guys, but my sister decided it was 'cleaning night,' so I am not going with you tonight. Sorry to have had you come all this way."

After a brief farewell, Erin walked off down the street. Fortune was again left wondering why the girl wished to spend time with the two of them at all. What was her motivation? Didn't she have any friends her own age—human friends? He decided to ask Sesshoumaru this very question.

"The girl has confided in me that she has lost both her mother and father at an early age," Sesshoumaru replied, thinking back to an earlier conversation he'd had with Erin, "Young girls enjoy spending time with adult role models, or parental figures, if you will."

"You didn't just say what I thought you said," Fortune stated in an snide tone. His attention was temporarily diverted by a lone human walking in their direction.

"And, what was that."

"We, you and I, are role models for the human girl—the innocent, sweet Erin," Fortune said incredulously. "What are we going to teach her, to slaughter her classmates," he paused here, considering recent news reports of similar happenings and wondering if those had possibly befriended a vampire and youkai. At this point, Fortune turned away from Sesshoumaru and swiftly leapt in front of the human male. "Boo," he cried, baring his fangs at the surprised man.

Upon seeing a rather ghastly looking figure materialize in front of his face, the man let out a yelp and turned tail, running in the opposite direction.

"See that, I could show Erin what happens when you play with your food."

When the youkai registered no response, Fortune continued in his tirade. "Yes" Fortune rubbed his hands together, an eager tone to his voice, "we could teach her the pros and cons of stalking drunken human prey, or how to murder this city's denizens in creative and entertaining ways, or, how to walk around being incredibly dull and boring, wearing a blank expression, or, how to be a cold, unfeeling youkai, or, how to be a vicious, though happy-go-lucky, vampire, or how to….

"Yes," Sesshoumaru's interrupted, sharply, "she probably does see me, at least, as a role model," referring to the earlier thread in their conversation. Despite his annoying method of delivery, Fortune did indeed have a valid point, but he also knew that the vampire would continue producing endless inane descriptions if left unchecked. Sesshoumaru had himself explored similar doubts and arguments many times when he had previously adopted Rin into his company, or Rin had adopted him, he couldn't ever decided which was the case. At any rate, once the young girl had made up her mind that he was an appropriate target for her affections and idolization; there was nothing to be done to alter it.

"Don't you find my ideas for teaching Erin the ways of the world amusing," Fortune tried his best to look highly indignant.

"What do you think? You did not even inspire yourself to laughter."

"Hm. I suppose I prefer it when I can share these moments with another."

"In the past, you have not hesitated in laughing at your own feeble jokes, vampire."

"True," Fortune gave Sesshoumaru a serious look, "do you think we ought to adopt her? Oh, my! That means we would be a happy little family. And, of course, you and I would have to get married—is gay marriage legal in this state?" Fortune leaned his head against the youkai's shoulder in an affectionate manner. "I always thought I'd marry for love."

Sesshoumaru was taken back by Fortune's outrageous behavior at times, but, of course, would never show it. "Get off," he gritted through his bared teeth, jabbing Fortune back with his elbow.

"I suppose it will take time for you to feel comfortable talking about your feelings," Fortune continued his one-sided banter, "Will you be the male in the relationship or shall I. Wait! I think it should be you since you already have that feminine look. Slap a dress on you and no one would ever suspect!"

Sesshoumaru ran his fingers through the length of his long hair, pulling a silver lock between his thumb and forefinger, all the while staring at impassively at Fortune. As the youkai turned and began walking back towards the main street, Fortune marveled yet again at his remarkable capacity for keeping his façade so devoid of emotion.

But, he knew better than to think the youkai completely unaffected by his taunts. "Oh, my dear youkai, did I offend? I know, we could both take turns. There are other issues we should resolve, such as I get blood once a week. I know what happens to libidos after a few years of marriage, but I still have needs you know," Fortune called after Sesshoumaru as he walked away. "And, I'll want a ring, too, a decent sized one. I am just so excited about this." Fortune started off after the youkai, contemplating what kind of reaction, if any, he would receive from Sesshoumaru if he went so far as to kneel in front of him, giving an old-fashioned style marriage proposal.

"Sesshoumaru," Erin was reluctant to pull the reticent youkai from his thoughts, but she needed some reassurance that he was, indeed, the man she had come to know.

Erin had found him sitting on a bench by the river, watching the slow-moving expanse of dark water following its perpetual course. The harsh, throaty cries of seagulls sounded through the air—the birds often traveled up the Mississippi from the Gulf, huddling in droves among the grey rocks by the river. Watching the graceful darting of the birds chasing one another, she had almost walked past him without a second glance. His dark hair trailed down to the middle of his back, shorter than usual, and, a lot, well, blacker. Also, his eyes were not the startling yellow which still made her shiver whenever his gaze settled upon her, but were now a calming, deep brown. Markings and pointed ears, gone. He looked… completely human. She had a flash of doubt—what if this was the actual Sesshoumaru, and she had been fooled by his white hair and strange eyes—perhaps they were actually contacts, a wig and stage makeup.

Sesshoumaru shifted fractionally on the bench, his brown eyes coming to rest on the young girl. He had been enjoying the solitude and breeze off the water, despite the staccato shrieks of the darting gulls, but Erin's arrival was not unwelcome. He had been thinking of nothing in particular. Rather, he had been allowing his thoughts to roam idly from one topic to the next, allowing the ebb and flow of a multitudes of unresolved, unsettling memories which he had compiled throughout the years, never really getting around to sorting out and filing them away under appropriate judgments and conclusions in what he considered to be an orderly mind. After so many years of life, most intelligent immortals must find their own method of organizing the massive influx of information, he supposed. Some of the memories, which drifted up from the watery depths of his unconsciousness were inconsequential. He ignored most conversation, even that which was directed at him, in favor of spacing out and then sorting out the important details later. And, others, well, other reminisces resurfaced again and again in order to be pushed back again and again—certain dull aches are best ignored, in his opinion.

The thread of half-remembered conversation currently making its way through his mind was indeed fairly inconsequential.

_"Blah, blah, blah….Sesshy, do you ever leave your flat? I'll have to come up there sometime and keep you company…blah, blah, blah."_

So inconsequential he could not recall any other part of her conversation after the human woman had cornered him in the hallway near an exit to building where his flat resided. Should he kill her? She called him Sessy after all, and was planning on harassing him by visiting his flat one of these days. Alas, the modern era so was so…civilized with every miserable life accounted for, so killing her was out of the question. He would simply have to pretend he was not home and ignore the bell. File under another-pushy-whore-conniving-to-get-into-pants.

His mind drifted on to the next stray thought...

_Sesshoumaru, Rin is dead. I'm sorry…_

Wait? Let's hear that again.

_"Sesshoumaru, Rin is dead. I'm sorry to tell you," Jaken paused here to wipe his tearful eyes and nose on his sleeve, " she has finally passed on to the other world," Jaken gave another quick sniffle here, " and requested that you not attempt resurrection this time, after all, she is 81 years old—and that's pretty old for a human." Sesshoumaru looked on coldly as Jaken broke down into sobs and unintelligible wails. Apparently, he had only just held himself together long enough to fulfill the duty of delivering the news of her death to his master. Jaken had grown attached to the human girl over the years. Girl? She had not been a girl for some time, Sesshoumaru noted, though her time with him and Jaken had seemed to pass in the blink of an eye. As Jaken continued his noisy grieving, Sesshoumaru turned away and left. He had completed the survey of his borders, but still he walked purposefully back in the direction from which he had just come. Jaken spared a glance at the seemingly emotionless departing lord, wondering if he would ever reach his desired destination_.

Oh, that was Rin, not Erin. File under unresolved regrets. Will resolve at more appropriate time, such as never.

A memory from the past evening resurfaced...

_"You and I would have to get married…should you be the male or should I...you already have that feminine look."_

Did Fortune actually say that? File under another-asinine-thing-that-has-come-out-of-the-vampire's-mouth.

_"What the hell is wrong with you, you fucking asshole…"_

Not again. Can't I just skip this memory.

_"…What? Ever since your arm grew back you can't remember that I'm strong enough to take you apart if I want. Why can't you get it through your fucking head that I am his son too. I have just as much right to HIS swords, HIS power, and HIS memory. How dare you refuse me this request. You know what, I don't even care anymore. I never knew the guy anyways. You can just burn his stupid, fucking memoirs for all I care. Fuck you, after all these years, you pretend to put aside your animosity and associate yourself with me, a dirty hanyou, but it's nothing but a lie. You are still trying to lord it over me that YOU are the first son, YOU are the pureblooded one. Well, fuuuuccck yyooooouuu!" Sesshoumaru watched the retreating figure in red, his silver hair whipping violently in the breeze created by his swift departure. He took not action. Other than the inevitable violent clashes to relieve tension, inaction would seem to typify both his past and future dealings with his younger brother._

Why does this one always have to re-surface. Even just the memory of Inuyasha's crass yelling made his ears hurt. The half-breed had manners typical of his low station in life. File under unresolved regrets. Wait, what was he thinking? File under pain-in-the-ass half-brother.

His attention drifted to the next memory...

_Sesshoumaru followed the familiar scent— it had caught him quite by surprise. What was she doing so far from the others? Seshoumaru understood soon enough when he found her undressing near a hot spring. Mesmerized, Sesshoumaru watched the demon slayer disrobe for her bath. Briefly, he glimpsed taunt breasts and luscious curves as she pranced over to the hot spring, sinking into its depths with obvious pleasure. She leaned her head back against the edge and closed her eyes with a long sigh. Starting with her toes, she imagined a warm glow working its way up her feet and legs and spreading over her body, relaxing each set of muscles as it went. She sighed again. After a few minutes, her hand slipped down into the water, lower, lower…Sesshoumaru turned away and slipped quietly off into the night._

File under unresolved regrets, carnal pleasures sub-category.

Next...

_"Slap a dress on you and no one would ever suspect!"_

What! That fucking Fortune—did he actually allow him to get away with saying that to his face? File under rapidly-increasing-reasons-to-kill-Fortune. He would definitely have to pay closer attention to what the vampire was saying while he was on one of his comic rants.

Another snippet of stray memory popped into his consciousness...

_"I have genital herpes."_

Who and what the hell was that? TV commercial? Sesshoumaru did not remember. File under random-shocking-memory.

It was after this thought that Sesshoumaru had been interrupted by Erin's soft voice.

"Sesshoumaru"

"Yes."

"You look, um, different."

Sesshoumaru quickly realized she must be referring to his glamour enhanced appearance. "Yes, it is a form of magic which protects my identity. I usually wear it during the day. At night in this city, especially considering Fortune's looks, it is not so important," Sesshoumaru offered by way of explanation.

Erin paused to absorb those few sentences, more because Sesshoumaru was normally so reticent than the content. His voice was so nice, so soothing and deep, reminding her a little of the cultured voices of actors in old fashioned movies.

"Um, are you sure you aren't kidding me. I mean, isn't this the way you really look." Erin eyed him skeptically.

By way of an answer, Sesshoumaru simply dropped his glamour, his eyes their startling gold again, and the black hair melting down his back like water, revealing an impressive head of long silver hair. Erin jumped, started by the transformation. In the bright noon-day sun, Erin thought she could catch icy blue highlights each time the breeze ruffled his locks. A passing jogger stumbled in his gait, catching sight of the silver haired youkai on the bench. The jogger quickly looked away and kept moving. He was certainly an impressive sight, sitting there like some beautiful fallen angel, Erin thought.

"Oh, I guess you were telling the truth about the magic then."

"Yes."

"I was just thinking when I first saw you that….well, never mind."

"You have something on your mind?" It was more of a statement than a question.

"Not that, I mean, yes, I do. I was wondering if you hand any ideas to, well, get Fortune back."

"Get him back?"

"Yes, I mean, for trying to intimidate me the other day."

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes at this statement. "What exactly did he do, Erin?"

Sesshoumaru's voice held a sharp edge, but Erin could not tell if he were angry or concerned, since he still wore his usual placid expression. "He didn't hurt me or anything, he just," Erin blushed here, "um, just grabbed me and told me you were going to give him to me after…you were finished with me."

Erin could not be quite certain, but she thought she saw an angry look briefly cross his features.

"Fortune can be repulsive at times," Sesshoumaru stated, staring off into the distance. His eyes followed the diving gulls, but his mind had not strayed from their conversation. "It would be a pleasure to bring his ill-placed pride down a notch."

"Yes, but I don't know quite how to do it. He is so strange—I've thought of just yelling at him, but he might think it was funny."

"Yes, he might," Sesshoumaru agreed, imagining the vampire trying vainly to control his laughter as Erin pointed a finger in his face, yelling insults of which even Inuyasha would have been proud. He almost smiled at this mental image, "you could still try it," he offered.

"No, it would be too embarrassing. It was embarrassing enough falling for his little trick in the first place. Of course, I did not really believe him completely at the time." Erin lowered her eyes and shuffled her feet. Hesitantly, she asked, "Um, are there any special things that youkai such as Fortune don't like. Could I throw some holy water on him or something?"

Sesshoumaru considered this, "yes, that might work," and would be exceedingly funny if it did, "but Fortune is not youkai." He had reservations about telling her more about Fortune's nature, but he did not particularly want Erin associating Fortune's behavior with a youkai either. At any rate, Erin appeared quite accepting of youkai and magic, it was not such a great leap to introduce vampires into the mix.

"You mean he's a person too?" Erin found this difficult to believe. Fortune just seemed so…otherworldly.

Wondering at Erin's use the term 'person,' Sesshoumaru explained, "Fortune is a vampire."

Erin's eyes widened at this statement.

"I don't normally associate myself with such, but Fortune somehow managed to insinuate himself into my company." Sesshoumaru was not quite sure how to describe his relationship with Fortune—a camaraderie of immortals, an occasionally amusing acquaintance, a friend? He gave a mental snicker at the last—who else but he would call the half-crazed vampire a friend. Fortune should count himself quite lucky.

"A vampire," Erin whispered incredulously, as if having a youkai sitting across from her were not astounding enough. Oh, the possibilities, Erin thought, and began to plan.

The late afternoon was a hot and lazy one. Erin laid across a swing in her back yard, contemplating vampire weaknesses. She stretched, adjusting the pillow under her head—it had seen better days and was slightly mildewed after being left outdoors several weeks in a row. The leaves of the overgrown banana plants swayed gently over her head, offering a little welcome shade. One foot was hanging off the swing and lazily kicking at the grass, so tall it was almost level with the swing. It had been some time since the grass had been cut—the last time being when her sister saw a snake crawl across their patio.

Erin imagined one entertaining but silly revenge scene in her mind:

She would take Fortune to Chile's restaurant for the ultimate revenge. The three would sit down at the table, and she would whisper something in the waiter's ear. After a few minutes, off-key singing and loud hand clapping would be heard in the distance, coming ever closer, when, suddenly, HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY, WE'RE SO GLAD YOU CAME, HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY, FROM THE CHILES GANG… Well, besides the obvious—that it was essentially a very dumb idea—it was impractical since it would torture Sesshoumaru as well.

Another fantasy in which Erin indulged herself involved discovering where Fortune slept during the day. She had dubbed this one 'clown revenge.' First, she would sneak inside Fortune's lair. While there, she could paint his face into a hideous white clown face. And, if it were true that vampires had no reflection, Fortune would simply never realize it. She could beg Sesshoumaru to keep quiet, and so the only indication that Fortune might have would be the wide smiles on the faces of his intended victims, and in some cases, outright laughter, just before he drank their blood.

Erin sighed. A little harmless fantasy never hurt anyone, but there was actually not much she could do to teach Fortune a lesson. Thus, Erin finally decided to rely on the tried and true mechanism for revenge—using her feminine whiles to pit the two males against one another.

AN: Loved all of your reviews! And, looking forward to getting more. Botticelliangel, Golden, Sesshoumarubride Hesha07, I am so glad that everyone seemed to like the Rin/Jaken memories in the previous chapters. Ladisapphire, happy to hear you like Fortune. He's so much fun to write. I was worried about how it would come off. I enjoyed writing those scenes! Oh, and reviewer Chris, as for Sesshoumaru's arm—I was supposed to mention it growing back when talking about Inuyasha in a previous chapter, but I forgot. Oops! I had realized it and may be I'll go back and revise it some time in the future. I have read at least a hundred fan fiction stories where Sess's arm has either grown back, been replaced or something of the sort, I couldn't think of anything original to add about it. So, I suppose that's why it slipped my mind.

I will try to update on or before next Saturday. Thanks for reading!


	12. Plans

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or any of its characters.

Youkai and vampire made their way through the city streets in search of entertainment. Both were bored with idle talk, and the full moon left them feeling slightly restless. It might be said that neither was receiving much out of the other's company at this time, however, boredom was less tedious with a companion with which to share it. Boredom was a fact of life for those who live not only one full human lifetime, but twenty, thirty lifetimes—a dozen centuries, a thousand years, two thousand, and so on. Time slipped under their heels as inconsequentially as did the dusty sidewalks.

The two immortals were not bound by time in the way in which mortals were accustomed. The slow decay of their bodies did not hang over their heads as a constant reminder that their time here was short. These two had no first hand knowledge of this decay—only the detached sympathies they felt (or more likely, did not feel) towards those mortals around them with which they occasionally came into extended contact. Carpe Diem—the lives of mortals speed forward towards death at a predictable, inevitable pace, seen time and time again on the faces of mothers, fathers, grandfathers, and friends, lovers— gradually, banally growing old and eventually dying, completing an unstoppable process of which the two immortals would never experience. Certainly, they understood, witnessed, even grieved over this process, but they never _experienced._

Yet, even immortals were not indestructible—they could also die. However, it was always a shock, an accident, an act of violence, not the predictable, though dreaded, series of events which mortals were forced to endure during their short stint in this world. So, what did immortals fear? What was hanging over their heads, threatening their illusions and complacency? Boredom, world-weariness, monotony—whatever you wish to call it—these words contained life-sapping dread for those forced to endure eternity with no hope for relief. During such long, potentially endless, lifetimes, you run the risk of losing your mind in the prison of dullness.

Fortune, however, was determined never to be thought dull, and he ever wished to expel any tedium from his daily life by means of unpredictable and extreme actions. Yes, even these actions, when continually repeated, did also fall prey to tedium, but Fortune was always the last to admit this. To note, he was usually the last one to leave a party as well, no matter how drunk, but those events mainly took place in his brief human years. He did not get invited to many parties these days.

Finding Sesshoumaru had been something akin to a major equipment upgrade in his battle with dullness. He might perhaps gain another human lifetime's worth of mildly entertaining adventures if allowed to associate himself further with the youkai, and, though he had not realized this yet, with the girl as well. Mildly entertaining might not sound like such an impressive boon, but around age 200-400, many beings lost the bulk of their capacity for unadulterated joy in living.

As for Sesshoumaru, who was, one could say, born for longevity, he did not experience some of the hurdles which Fortune was forced to overcome. He never expected life to offer an eternity of bacchanalian pleasures of the mind and flesh—a veritable Toyland over which he was lord and master. Fortune's first few centuries had hinted at thus, but it was only the ragged trappings of his old humanity shielding his undying eyes before his former humanity, too, fell into dust and he was left only with vicious desire and the nostalgic yearnings of a still half-human mind.

Fortune would have envied Sesshoumaru if he had known he had been born for this life, but only because he did not understand what the youaki was. The coolness, the emotionless exterior, was not an affection, but in all actuality a sort of inbred mechanism for enduring the mounting years. Yes, youkai did experience something resembling the human passion for living. Some youkai experienced this because they were also not born to endure, having life spans which were numbered in the hundreds of years. A few others, with longer years ahead, also admired the human's passion for living and attempted to emulate it in order to share that passion.

And, even fewer, were the Taiyoukai, whose life spans were simply not numbered. Those from this elite and decidedly chilly group of youkai who also wished to experience this foreign thing called lust for life for themselves were far and few between. Sesshoumaru, chillier than most, had never seen fit to join this small, but boisterous, crew. However, Sesshoumaru's father had been one of those. His love for a human woman brought him out of his cold, regal, but unbearably slow trek, through the centuries to experience to fierce rush of human-like protectiveness and passion. All his passion, all his new felt exuberance, fueled events which caused him to burn out as quickly and as brightly as any star-crossed human lover. The late Leader of the Dogs died protecting his lands from a dragon, which had perceived his new passion as a weakness, and also protecting his love and half-breed child from bitter human jealousy.

Thus, in search of something which bore some vague and faint similarity to that search for passion, the two strode on, linked by the search of an escape from the tedium which, at times, threatened to grind their very minds into dust.

It was unfortunate that they would not find it this night, though the other's presence did serve to mitigate the oppressive nature of the tedium. But, they would instead have to wait for her return. The girl—she would help to bring a little life back into their listless actions of breathing, moving, speaking. Sesshoumaru knew this on some level, though he did not often delve so deeply into the reasoning's behind his own impulses and desires. Fortune, who was indeed prone to a great deal of self-evaluation even to the point of self-centered obsessing, did not recognize this fact either. For, he lacked the youkai's talent for spotting a good thing when he saw it. Such was what often led Fortune into seriously damaging, and not only to himself, relationships, which in turn, caused him to pass up those which held promise of growth and rejuvenation. Sesshoumaru was one of the few exceptions to this, though his friendship did hold the potential of a swift death by a set of razor sharp claws hands if he pushed the youkai too far—so saying their relationship did not deviate much from norm.

No, they would not find relief tonight. Erin was away, playing nursemaid to her older sister after yet another rejection and break up. Tonight the two would wander, silent and in search of fresh scents which did not materialize, or new blood which did not exist.

Erin bounded up to the two men, having missed their company for several days. She was rather proud of having been able to hold the attention, if you could call it that, of two supernatural, and somewhat dashing, males. But, that pride had not much to do with what held her attention with regard to the two of them. Curiosity, inquisitiveness, source of entertainment—all were in the forefront of her emotions, paired with a warmer feeling—friendship. She liked both Sesshoumaru and Fortune. Yes, she even perceived qualities in Fortune that she could admire—he could be quite charming and even funny at times—though he had as of yet to direct these qualities towards anyone but Sesshoumaru. She did enjoy listening to their banter, though she did not understand it fully. Seeing Fortune direct his quick wit at Sesshoumaru was still quite entertaining. And, at least Sesshoumaru seemed to enjoy her company in his own quiet way—why else would the two immortals bother spending time with her. For whatever reason, she was accepted her into their little boy's club to converse and walk with them, as one of them, leaving it to her to come and go as she pleased.

Erin greeted Sesshoumaru, which he returned, adding, "Have you fared well the past several days, Erin?"

"Yes, thank you. And yourself?"

"Yes, I have been well. Is your sister recovered?"

"She is, thanks for asking." Erin prided herself on good manners.

"Your company was missed," he added politely, neither his face nor tone betraying a trace of the sentiment expressed.

Erin was pleased with his interest in her well-being, but still marveled at the way his impassive veneer disallowed any visible show of emotion. She tried to imagine his amber eyes burning with emotion—love, rage, fear—but failed. She sighed. He was still beautiful, especially tonight, with the almost full moon making his silver hair shimmer. Or, well, she admitted to herself, it was actually just the streetlights doing that, but it was a nice thought.

She turned her attention away from the silver haired youkai and to his companion, standing slightly in the shadows. Tonight, Erin was a girl with a plan. For her plan to be successful, the timing of her plan would need to be near perfect. It would unfold during one of Sesshoumaru's absences, and the near perfect timing was necessary so that his return would also be most expedient.

But, first….

Step one: Get Fortune charged up and ready to kill.

Really, this first step was quite frightening. Erin tried not to thing about the implications of this too thoroughly. She was not certain it would work, but she was determined to at least try. Her first step involved a little not-so-delicate poking and prodding at the half-crazed, feral creature that was Fortune.

"Fortune"

"What?"

"Um." She was unsure where exactly to begin.

Fortune peered over at the young girl, his grey eyes gleaming with the animosity she had come to expect from him during their short acquaintance. "Spit it out, girl, or stop bothering me."

"Whatever"

"Don't you know any better comebacks, girl?"

Erin shivered a little under the vampire's steady glare. This wasn't going to be easy. Not only was she facing an intimidating opponent, but she could feel her ever-present shyness threatening to kick in, "I wasn't bothering you. I just wanted to tell you that I know all about you."

She watched for his reaction out of the corner of her eye. He did look quite striking; the icy grey color of his eyes offered a nice contrast to his long, dark hair. She now understood why his pale skin appeared lifeless next to Sesshoumaru. Fortune was a vampire, and, she now decided, looking at Fortune's sharp features, that he was exactly the way she would have imagined a 'creature of the night' would look. A little cruel and menacing with hooded eyes and a bloodthirsty grin, but still devilishly handsome. As well, she was certain he was all too aware of this very fact, and not at all bashful about using it to his advantage when he deemed necessary. Still, it made her cringe a little at what she was about to do it his overblown ego.

Disturbing her inner musings, Fortune stepped closer to her until his face was mere inches from her own, and hissed, "and just what do you know about me?" He then stepped back and eyed Erin skeptically, "have you been having more sex dreams about me?"

"You!" Erin bristled, a blush rising up her neck and coloring her cheeks, but tried her best to stay calm. You know what he's like, she reminded herself, he is only doing this keep you off-balance, that's all. Just keep going.

"I know you are a vampire," she finally blurted out before she lost what little nerve she still possessed.

"Oh, okay," he said flippantly, "huge news," he gesticulated wildly. Then, he paused, curious "but where did this little revelation come from, Erin."

"Sesshoumaru," she answered simply.

"Ah!" Fortune's first reaction was paranoia. The two of them were obviously gossiping behind his back and there was no telling what they were saying about him.

_He really is a freak, isn't he? I think I saw him pick his nose the other day._

_Really, I didn't realize vampires even had boogers. _

_I doubt they do. It is just one of those disgusting things you can expect from that bloodsucker. I once saw him step in dog shit on the street and not realize it. He walked around stinking all night and he never even realized it. Understandably, we were given a wide berth._

_Oh, boy. He sure is an idiot._

_I agree…._

Fortune now felt indignant towards the two of them even though the previous scene existed only in his imagination. He decided to strike back swiftly.

"A vampire. Yes, I have been called that, and more. But, alas, I am merely a human. You are not another one of those who is going to make fun of my pale skin, are you? It's not as if I can help it. I have a hereditary skin disease which leaves me looking a bit… different."

"Skin disease?" Erin was momentarily taken aback by this revelation. Could this be true? Had Sesshoumaru been joking? "Oh, I didn't know. I mean its not as if you look freakish or anything."

"Oh, yes," Fortune was having a great time now, "you are so sweet, dear Erin, but I realize that I don't look like a normal human. It is called…Oliaphendolitis. You must know of it. It is the same disease from which Michael Jackson suffers." At this point, he almost let slip a snicker.

"Whatever," Erin responded, realizing now that she was being teased.

"You mock my disorder? It is quite serious" Fortune lowered his head and pressed a hand against his forehead, "Oh, the pain. I know how the elephant man felt now."

Erin watched as Fortune started shaking his fists at the sky, shouting, "I am not an animal!"

This was not going to be easy.

She decided it best to blurt out the whole, rehearsed spiel, as quickly and accurately as possible, and hope for the desired result—Fortune's anger.

Steeling herself, since her reticence normally prevented long speeches, she began,

"You are one sick fuck, Fortune. You have no friends. Sesshoumaru only hangs out with you cause he feels sorry for you," her voice wavered a little here, but she was determined to continue, "you kill innocent people all the time just to keep living your miserable, meaningless life. Those people are so much more worthwhile than you could ever be."

Now that she was nearing the end of her speech, her voice gained in confidence and volume, "you walk around like you think you're the ruler of the universe, and you aren't even that good looking."

This last statement got a shocked look out of Fortune. Sesshoumaru also perked up his ears at this turn in the conversation. Perhaps his wish of seeing a red-faced Erin screaming curses in the vampire's face would come true after all.

Noting Fortune's reaction, Erin continued a little more confidently now.

"In fact, you are quite ugly, in my opinion."

"What!"

"You heard me," Erin was even more pleased with this next reaction. She had only half-expected the first part to get a rise out of the vampire. But, she was almost sure that the "ugly" bit would do the trick. He was vain—she could tell, and it was time to pull out the big guns.

"Yes, in all the books, vampires are always so handsome, dashing and even sexy. But, you," Erin gave Fortune a disparaging glance, "are about as far from that as anything I can imagine. Who would have thought it possible—a frumpy, unattractive vampire."

Fortune's face, if possible, looked paler than ever.

Now for her trump card.

"And, I thought vampires weren't supposed to get fat."

"What!" Again, he looked completely shocked.

Now who can't find a proper comeback, Erin thought smugly, "I mean, take a look at that spare tire you got there."

Fortune looked down at his torso in horror, frantically feeling his middle for any trace of flab. Was he really so unattractive? Now he really did feel like the elephant man.

Erin tried to keep the satisfaction out of her smile as she prepared to finish him off.

"Oh, come on, it is so obvious you are middle aged. How old were you when you became a vampire—forty nine, fifty?"

"Fifty! Why you little…,"he trailed off. Uncharacteristically, Fortune was at a loss for words. He crossed his arms over his middle and turned away from Erin.

Oh, that felt so good, she thought. Why, it was so satisfying, it had worked so well, she was almost tempted to stop there and not continue with…

Plan two: Inspire Sesshoumaru to beat Fortune's ass.

Perhaps she should say, Fortune's flabby ass, Erin thought with a snicker. She did feel a tad guilty for using weight as her method of attack. She was quite sensitive about her own weight, but it was still amusing to make fun of Fortune's nonexistent flab.

Sesshoumaru, quiet during the entire exchange, could not help at marvel at Erin's skill in thoroughly trouncing the vampire.

Sesshoumaru shivered. Young girls could be evil. But, then, he knew that already.

AN: I will likely update on Monday after editing fun Sess/Fortune fight scene.

Sesshoumarubride: Thanks for another review—you are so loyal J.

Botticelliangel: I'm glad you liked Sesshoumaru sifting through his memories—was fun to write but wasn't sure if it would come off well or not.

Chris: That great--you thought the scene with the two laughing at Bubba's demise was funny. The humor in it wasn't blatant, so I was happy to hear it did make you laugh after all. Oh, and Jaken is loads of fun to write. As for Erin being Rin's reincarnation, I don't know if I'll address that directly in this fic. Not to say she isn't. Her name is similar, and she did remind Sess of Rin several times already...Hmm, could be!


	13. The Wind

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters.

AN: My personal tribute to manga chapter 410. Heh, heh. Not exactly spoilers, since if you haven't read 410, it simply will not make much sense.

THIS DOES NOT FOLLOW ALONG THE CURRENT PLOT OF STORY. IT IS JUST A FUN LITTLE ASIDE WHICH COULD HAVE OCCURRED AT ANY POINT IN THE STORY. WILL UPDATE NORMAL CHAPTER SATURDAY AS PLANNED.

Sesshoumaru stood staring up into the night sky at the faint stars and waning moon. It was unfortunate that the lights from the city dulled the stars, thereby robbing him of one of his favorite pastimes—stargazing.

He sighed and looked over at the vampire, who appeared to be doing some sort of disjointed dance to the jazz music which filtered from an adjacent nightclub.

"Fortune"

"Yes, dear."

"What in the hell are you doing? Trying to drive away business from this respectable establishment?"

"Huh," the vampire answered obtusely.

"Who taught you to dance?"

Fortune huffed and grinned widely, "Why, I taught myself." He resumed his spastic maneuvers.

Sesshoumaru had to turn away—it was always difficult for him to watch someone make a complete fool of themselves. He decided to take a little walk and further distance himself from Fortune's embarrassing antics.

He wondered what it would feel like to commit such a crazy stunt, to allow himself to act in such an undignified manner. Wouldn't it be….freeing, somehow?

Lost in his thoughts, Sesshoumaru was a little surprised when a violent gust of wind swept past him, billowing out his clothes and whipping his long hair wildly about his face. Unconsciously, he lifted his hands in attempt to hold down his wayward locks, lest they become tangled. The wind on his face felt somehow familiar, dredging up a long-forgotten memory from his past…..

"The Wind."

Sesshoumaru articulated his thoughts in an incredulous voice. He was awed by the implications. It has been so many years, after all, since he had last seen Kagura.

"What wind," his nostalgic reverie was rudely interrupted by Fortune's sarcastic voice, "you mean that Mac truck which almost plowed into you."

"Truck?"

"Yes, truck—you sure are a Mensa candidate tonight, Sesshoumaru. Now, get out of the street before another truck comes barreling along and you experience some more of that 'wind' first hand."

Sesshoumaru stared dazedly at him, and a bit unintelligently, Fortune thought, before finally stepping back out of the street, joining the vampire on the grassy roadside.

Sesshoumaru wondered if this counted as having acted in an undignified manner. Perhaps not, since Fortune seemed to have forgotten his momentary lapse of reason and was now babbling on about how he loved jazz music. Nonetheless, it was embarrassing, which, of course, meant it was best to banish the entire incident from his memory. After all, he had known that it was a truck in the first place, not Kagura. His powers of denial were already fast at work.

AN: I just couldn't resist adding this little chappie after the idea come to me. Oh, and did anyone get the humor?


	14. Vengeance

Botticelliangel: I was relieved to hear that the spiel on immortality in the beginning was a nice contrast to the liveliness in the end. Was worried it was too boring and would get skipped over by readers.

Sesshoumarubride: That part was fun to write!

Hesha07: Thanks for the one review for the Wind chapter. I was worried no one read it.

Liberatedmysterygirl: As I said in the e-mail (that you may or may not have received), I would be happy to give an update time along with my date, but takes so long to update posts that it wouldn't work there. I will post a chapter in the morning, and then it won't show up until sometime later that evening—I can never tell when it will be! I will be happy to e-mail you a direct link when I post at a specified time—such as morning—just let me know.

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Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or any of its characters.

Fortune was, indeed, charged up by Erin's taunts, even into the next night. How dare she, he thought angrily, stealing a quick glance at his middle. He had spent many hours, naked in front of the mirror, turning from side to side, rear to front, bending over, squatting down, twisting in all directions—all to try and convince himself that he did not have love handles. Of course, in all actuality he did not, but this did not stop him from obsessing over the possibility of it. In his paranoia, he could not decide if this bulge was a muscle or that one a fat pocket, or if the wrinkle in his stomach as he bent over was not caused by a huge, glutinous roll of flab.

Heaving a sigh, he fell back against the cushions of his settee, also falling back on his own overconfident nature, deciding that he must be just as fit as ever. And, just as remarkably handsome and fetching, he was quick to add. Out of the corner of this eye, something in the mirror caught his attention—was that cellulite on his thighs?

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Erin looked up at the waning moon; it was a stark white and had almost oval shape, reminding her of an egg. Tonight, at below 80 degrees and breezy, it might have been a pleasant evening if the fast-moving clouds were not threatening rain. The massive oak tree branches were waving in the wind gusts around her, making a crackling, hissing sound as the wind brushed through the leaves. With this wild summer weather, Erin wondered if there was a hurricane brewing in the Gulf this week.

Erin was no longer afraid of hurricanes. But, when Erin was very young, she was terrified of them. There were always people preaching about how the next big hurricane was going to burst the levee and finally cover New Orleans under a flood of muddy river water. It was only a matter of time, they claimed, and she had taken these threats to heart. Each time a violent storm would sweep through the city, as a young child, Erin would feel terror twisting deep in her gut, convinced that this time luck would run out and they would all be swept under a tide of rising floodwater.

As she grew older, she understood how unlikely that was. The city's denizens would receive more than adequate time to evacuate the city in event of a possible inland hurricane pushing the waters dangerously against the levees. In fact, just last year, she had evacuated to a cousin's house in Baton Rouge when the mayor was convinced that the end for the city was finally near. It would not survive another hurricane, he claimed, because it was just that close to sinking into the swamp on which it was built. Erin doubted this, feeling that the city's charmed life would not finish in her lifetime. She had not felt that gut wrenching fear this past evacuation. Strangely enough, however, she was feeling it now.

Yes, there was indeed a feeling of dread which clawed like a kitten in her gut. She wished the 'kitten' would just curl up in there and fall asleep, but she knew it was unlikely to end until she had completed this next part of her plan.

Despite her nervous energy, Erin also felt a little giddy. The streetlights and faint stars seemed to possess an added sparkle this evening. Perhaps this is the rush soldiers sometimes describe feeling when going into battle, Erin thought.

Had she had gone a little too far with her insults to Fortune the previous evening, Erin wondered. He really was a good-looking guy, and the things she had said about his weight and age were completely ridiculous. Still, he still seemed to take it all to heart. Oh, well, she mentally groaned, his massive ego had it coming.

Her next stunt would serve to bring him down yet another notch. Her plan depended on one crucial point—Sesshoumaru's obsessive punctuality.

She had noticed this quirk in his personality the first time the two of them had set a time to meet. Never fail, he was always there at exactly that time—no earlier, or later. She had noted this as a bit humorous since she was the exact opposite—perpetually late. Once, when they were to meet Fortune, she had noticed that he slowed his steps as he neared their meeting point, attempting to time their arrival perfectly for midnight.

That is exactly why Erin arrived at the meeting place at 9:52. P. M. She had eight minutes before Sesshoumaru was due to arrive—10:00 p.m.. As usual, Fortune was already waiting. Apparently, she thought, he had nothing better to do with his time than to hang out with the two of them, or to wait around for them to show up so that he could then hang out with them. Such a sad, sad man was Fortune, she snickered to herself.

Tonight, he would learn what happens when you mess with Erin.

"Fortune," she waved at him from across the street. He was leaning against a signpost, his body angled in such a manner as to accentuate his lean form, with his back to her. As usual, the vampire made a point of ignoring her. She wondered if he had engineered this pose in an attempt to look thin and thereby counter her accusations. She wouldn't put it past him. Erin approached him slowly, giving him ample time to recognize that she was coming, as if approaching a wild animal. He turned briefly to acknowledge her approach, before turning his back to her again.

"Fortune," she said again, her voice soft and sweet. "Aren't you going to say 'hello'?"

His only response was a slight stiffening of his shoulders. He must have been really offended, she thought happily.

She glanced down at her watch: 9:54 p.m. The darkened street and scanty storefronts around them were abandoned for the evening, so it was only the two of them until Sesshoumaru arrived. She now wished she had chosen a more populated meeting place.

"I've been thinking about what I said last night," she began cheerfully, causing Fortune to turn his head towards her slightly.

"If you are about to say I have a double chin, you can just keep it to yourself, girl. I don't go around pestering you about your chunky thighs, now do I?"

That total bastard.

She forced another smile. "No, I just wanted to say I was sorry."

"What?"

She was shocking him left and right. "Those things I said…"

"Yes," he said bitterly.

9:55 p.m.

Erin now had to complete one of the most difficult parts of her plan, but she could not let herself stall. She only had five minutes. She took a step towards the vampire, and another, and another, until she was almost flush with his back. She could tell by the features of his slightly turned face that he was a little taken aback by this, and she noted, there was also something else in his expression. There was something about the lilt to his mouth that was decidedly sadistic and threatening. It scared the hell out of her. She paused to gather her composure. It was all she could do to keep her position—she wanted to back away quickly, to run away. Instead, she slowly began to lift her hand and move it towards his right shoulder. Tentatively, she brushed her fingertips over the cloth of his shirt, before her hand came to rest on his shoulder.

"I'm still waiting," he said, his voice softer this time, reminding her that she had not finished her sentence.

9:56 p.m.

The time from the watch on her wrist still resting on Fortune's shoulder gave her four more minutes. A lot could happen in four minutes. Maybe too much, she shivered, not able to look into Fortune's eyes now. At the first light touches, his eyes changed—pupils dilated and his light grey eyes seemed to inexplicably darkened to a slate color. That look made her feel like…a rabbit pinned beneath the paws of a slavering hound. She looked away, trying to focus on something other than Fortune, but her mind refused to cooperate. She could feel the heat of his body through the cotton of his shirt—he was not as hot as a normal person perhaps, but she was a little surprised he was not at all cold.

She finally gained enough composure to finish her statement, "I didn't mean those things. I don't think you are fat."

"You didn't," he responded, vaguely disguised relief in his voice. She looked up to see that his eyes had cleared, appearing normal again.

"No, you're not. I just said it because I was angry with you."

"Why were you angry," Fortune asked, his almost a whisper now. Her close proximity and touch were making his head swim a little. He could feel her breath on the back of his neck, a tantalizing warmth. Why was she so close? Did she not know of the danger he posed to her?

9:57 p.m.

"I was angry for the other night, when you told me those…things. But, I'm not angry with you anymore. I felt bad for saying what I said, and wanted to tell you that I actually think you are," Erin paused here, trying to work up enough nerve to say the words, "very," she clenched her teeth, she couldn't get the words out. It was too damn embarrassing, even if she were only saying it to goad Fortune, "attractive," the last word finally gushed out in a rush of air. It was a relief to finally get the words out, and Erin slipped her free hand into her pocket, fingering a razor blade stashed there.

"Why, yes, that's true," he heartily agreed. She thought him attractive, well, who wouldn't? But, why was she telling him this, here, now, and more importantly, while they were alone together? Was she trying to seduce him, he wondered? No, impossible, she was too young to think of such things. Or, was it? Her nearness and words suddenly stirred the sweet memory of her blood on his lips, causing him to whip around to face her. Erin's hand fell back down to her side.

9:58 p.m.

Whew. Erin had thought she would have to stand so uncomfortably close to Fortune for the full five minutes! But, when she looked up and met his gaze, his face was again much too close, she froze. The look in his eyes was again feral, but there was also mesmerizing about those hooded, grey eyes. She felt suddenly afraid, coupled with another emotion which she could not name stirring deep in her belly. She quickly looked away. He brought his hand up to her chin, pressing it back up, forcing her to again meet his hypnotic gaze. Those intense grey eyes caused another flood of unknown feeling to wash over her again—making her knees buckle. Fortune's arm snaked around her waist to catch her. In the back of her mind, she realized that the situation was quickly spiraling out of control, and she seemed to lack the power to fight this strange, new sensation. What time was it? She had forgotten. It seemed like she had been staring into those steely eyes for an eternity. What had she gotten herself into, she wondered. She was definitely having some strange reactions to being so close to the vampire. She had failed to predict this failing on her part. It was time to ditch her plan and make a swift retreat.

Before she could extricate herself from Fortune's hold, his next action forestalled any and every action on her part.

It was then that she realized that it was _she _who did not know with whom she had been messing, not the other way around.

Fortune let his fingertips glide from her chin down the side of her neck, leaving trails of goose bumps in their wake. She was unable to move. Déjà vu, Erin thought dazedly, but the previous incident had not incited her body to act in such a traitorous manner. "Erin," Fortune breathed her name softly. He leaned forward, their foreheads almost touching, and she tensed, her hands clenching into fists in a shared gesture of anticipation and fear. Ouch, Erin winced, her trancelike stupor suddenly interrupted by a sharp pain in her hand—the razor! It was too late to turn back now.

With that sudden scent of blood, Fortune was on her. Erin felt herself falling backwards, felt Fortune's lips against the skin of her neck, and then the sharp prick of his fangs entering her skin. She had no idea what time it was. It might be too early, or too late, or whatever, she no longer cared. She was sinking into a warm, deep pool of delicious feeling, ever deeper…

Suddenly, there was a flash of white, and the contented feeling was wrenched from her. Erin whimpered a little at this sudden loss of warmth. She lay there, dazed, hands now propping her up and mouth open wide in shock. What the hell had happened just now? First of all, Fortune had been way too close, and, had he actually bitten her? She had been trying to entice him to do that very thing, and planning on cutting herself in attempt to spur his bloodlust. But, she had never intended that he would actually get so far as to sink his fangs into…she stopped that thought quickly. It was making her feel nauseated. She had not planned to actually getting to the point of Fortune attacking her. She had only wanted him to appear as if he were menacing her when Sesshoumaru arrived. She had underestimated the vampire's intense reaction to what she had considered to be subtle enticements. Furthermore, she had not factored in her own reactions. Being so close to the vampire had been overwhelming; her reaction to him had completely caught her off guard. It must have had something to do with his being a vampire, she decided. Perhaps he had hypnotized her like in the movies? Did he have some form of mesmeric ability?

But, it was over. She was safe. But, she could have been killed!

Erin looked up to thank Sesshoumaru, and she finally realized she was in the middle of a stand off. Erin pushed herself up further on her elbows and looked from vampire to youkai, trying to decipher just what was happening.

Sesshoumaru and Fortune were facing one other, standing on each side of her, glaring at one another. Correction—Sesshoumaru was glaring with narrowed eyes and Fortune was smiling boldly back at the youkai. However, they were both eerily quiet. The expression on Sesshoumauru's face was not overtly angry, but held his usual impassive veneer, so Erin supposed she would not see any ass-whooping tonight.

She couldn't have been more wrong.

A white blur passed very close to Erin's head and collided with Fortune. Sesshoumaru took the opportunity to swipe at the vampire's neck with his claws, seeking to decapitate him, thereby cleanly and neatly ending the vampire's life. He was angry. It was one thing to believe that Fortune would kill the human girl under his protection, but to actually catch him in the act. It was maddening. Sesshoumaru's eyes went blood red and he wanted nothing more than the vampire's blood on his claws.

He was denied the satisfaction. Instead of a neat slice through flesh and bone, his claws met only air as the vampire dodged the blow. Swiftly, he followed Fortune to the left side of the girl, with Fortune ghosting again out of his claw's deadly reach. After the third or forth time this occurred, the sensible voice in the back of Sesshoumaru's rage-filled mind informed him that the vampire appeared to be leading him in a childish game of tag. And, he was being led in a circular pattern around the girl, no less. With incredible speed, he followed Fortune around their improvised fighting circuit, unexpectedly lurching forward a little to the left of the vampire, grunting with effort. A desperate act, really, since it put the youkai slightly off balance, but it did, in fact, achieve the desired result.

Sesshoumaru embedded his claw-tipped left hand deep into the vampire's abdomen, jerking upwards toward his heart. Time seem to slow as he noted the shock and fear in Fortune's eyes, as well as the vampire's evasive twist to the side, preventing Sesshoumaru's claws from reaching his heart. But, it did not change the fact that he was still impaled on Sesshoumaru's hand. Fortune looked down at Sesshoumaru's arm where it disappeared into the gaping hole in his abdomen. He grimaced in obvious pain.

"Ouch," Fortune piped out in response, returning his gaze to the youkai's crimson eyes.

Sesshoumaru stared coldly and mercilessly into Fortune's eyes, and slowly lifted his right hand, spreading his fingers slightly readying himself for one last assault.

Suddenly, Sesshoumaru's clawed hand paused in mid-slash and he stiffened, his eyes darting to his arm, where two delicate human hands now gripped his forearm. It was Erin.

"Please, stop."

The youkai glanced down into a pair of pleading green eyes, his eyes still glazed over with red. He had almost not recognized her presence. His battle madness began to slowly dissipate from his mind and vision, leaving the sight of a very shaken, trusting young girl directly in his line of sight to further calm his inner beast.

"I didn't mean for this to happen. I never realized…" She trailed off as her eyes began to well up with unshed tears.

"Stop. Let him go. Please, Sesshoumaru." She wrapped her arms tightly around the youkai's right arm and tugged fiercely. When that did not work, still gripping his forearm with one hand, she reached over and gripped the impaled arm near his elbow, causing a profuse amount of blood to begin leaking all over her hand. Erin stared in horror, her eyes darting back and forth from the blood now coating her wrist to the arm embedded in Fortune's ripped and bloody abdomen.

"It is horrible," she said in a whisper. She began to sob quietly, tears finally spilling over and rolling down her cheeks. She tugged once again at Sesshoumaru's left arm. He let it relax, allowing her to pull it out a few inches, causing blood to spray across the front of his shirt. Dammit, he thought, I'll never get that fucking stain out.

Fortune had been watching this exchange carefully, waiting for his chance for escape. He was in agony, trying desperately to remain coherent despite the wriggling, burning pain working its way in spirals around the gaping hole in his stomach. His hopes were not in vain, for within a few, brief moments, the youkai had relaxed his impaled appendage and Fortune was able to spring back, effectively removing the youkai's fist from his abdomen. He sprang forward just as swiftly, which had the added benefit of catching the youkai by complete surprise as he sank his fangs deep into his neck.

Ahhhhh, fucking amazing, was the only thought which ran through the vampire's mind as Sesshoumaru's blood rushed between his parted lips and burned its way down his throat. A gaping hole in the chest was worth this delicious indulgence. But, he half-expected to be slammed backwards any second now, as before. The seconds slid by, one, two, three…and still no movement from the youkai. The vampire blissfully imbedded his fangs deeper in Sesshoumaru's neck, and began to suck desperately at the potent, luscious blood.

Sesshoumaru was beginning to feel lightheaded after the few seconds Fortune had been drinking his blood. He had felt the vampire clamp down on his neck, but was unable to take the necessary evasive action since he also had the two frail arms of a human girl still firmly clamped around both of his arms. He gently tried to shake off the near hysterical girl from her death grip on his arms. She was not responding. He lifted his arms up, and Erin's feet left the ground, not loosening her grip in the slightest. He could not strike against Fortune without injuring her while in this position. Unbeknownst to Erin, she had become Fortune's human body shield. Take Fortune of all people to take advantage of this situation, he thought disdainfully, despite the fact that he had just attempted to kill the vampire.

"Erin, let go," he finally tried to reason with her. Erin looked up, staring at what Fortune was doing as if in some kind of trance. She did not relinquish her hold. "Erin, let go!" Sesshoumaru bellowed out, finally startling the girl into relinquishing her hold on his arms. Immediately, he knocked the vampire violently backwards. Fortune's rearward flight ended in a rather noisy collision with a large oak tree—SMACK, the branches of the oak shivered, showering leaves and even a very shocked squirrel onto the ground below with the impact. The squirrel quickly recovered and scampered into another nearby tree, and Fortune slumped to the ground where he had landed.

Sesshoumaru did not follow the vampire, his rage having been sufficiently cooled by the girl's unfortunate interference. He and the girl stood there side by side, staring at the crumpled form of the vampire.

"Will he be okay?"

"Yes."

"Um, are you sure?"

As if to answer, Fortune stirred, emitting a small groan.

"Oh. Well, I'm sorry about all this."

"Why should you be sorry," Sesshoumaru asked, cutting his eyes over at Erin.

"Its just…I didn't realize, I mean, I thought you two might fight—like you might yell at him or even slap him around a bit—but I never expected it to be so, so…violent. The two of you were trying to kill each other."

"Actually, I was trying to kill the vampire, he simply took advantage of the situation," like the complete bastard he is, Sesshoumaru added to himself.

"And, grabbed the chance for a refreshing meal," Fortune interrupted, apparently recovering from his injuries surprisingly fast.

"And, you, girl, you expected this," Sesshoumaru asked rather sharply.

"Um…," was Erin's only reply. She suddenly felt ashamed, as well as realizing that the youkai might not take kindly to being utilized as her tool for revenge.

"I can answer that for you," Fortune interrupted again. He stretched lazily, feeling the youkai's rich and powerful blood coursing through his veins, healing the wound in his chest even faster than was normal—all that with the added bonus of making him feel deliciously languid in response to the heated blood. Why couldn't the youkai just allow him to feed every so often voluntarily? The aftermath was amazing.

He realized the girl and youkai were still staring at him, awaiting a further response.

"Oh, yes, as I was saying, she would have known that the two of us would be after each other's throats when you arrived." He paused here. He now realized that Erin must have planned all along to seduce him into going for her at the point of Sesshoumaru's arrival. He wondered how the hell she was able to time it so perfectly. How did she know that he would not arrive a few minutes later, and she would have been dead? He was not certain, but what he did realize was that her skillful manipulations were meant to pit the two of them against one another. That took spunk, and a little selfish aspiration, on her part. He could not help but admire her for it.

However, she had no concept of how dangerous either of the two could become in a fight. She had been justifiably horrified. She had even attempted to save his life—a fact that he simply could not ignore. And, so, he lied, "Erin was simply waiting for you and I attacked her. What do you think happened," he answered derisively, making it sound as if the youkai were particularly unintelligent for even asking. He owed the girl one, after all.

"Why did you do that, " Sesshoumaru asked suspiciously.

"I'm a vampire, that's what I do," Fortune answered in his best sarcastic drawl, "and, quite good at it, if I may say so myself," Fortune stretched again, looking vaguely cattish. "What a stupid question," he added, "but I've come to expect such things from you, Sesshoumaru."

Erin stood silently watching the vampire. Is he trying to lie for me, she wondered, or is he just that stupid.

"I do not believe you. You knew I was arriving soon and would be…" he hesitated, searching for the right word, "displeased. What prompted you to such an action—a death wish?"

"Awfully Confident, coming from one of my latest victims," Fortune grinned wickedly at the youkai, "Let's see, if I remember correctly, there was something…what was it? Oh, yes, I remember, Erin cut herself on the hand and, with her blood already spilled, I just couldn't help myself."

Sesshoumaru's gaze was still locked with Fortune's but he made no move to speak further.

"I apologize," Fortune said in a bored tone.

No response.

"Really, you should apologize as well."

No response.

"You did try to kill me, you know. And, in front of poor Erin. You should really apologize to her as well."

Sesshoumaru turned his back on the vampire at this statement, apparently not amused by Fortune's banter.

"You were a bad dog."

He heard a muffled snickering coming from the Erin's direction, so he was inspired to continue.

"A very, very bad dog."

Another chuckle sounded, this time louder.

"Erin, you don't by any chance have a rolled up newspaper anywhere handy?"

This inspired a burst of giggles from Erin's direction. Fortune continued, not accustomed to such a receptive audience, and quite pleased by the response.

"We really should get him a shock collar, you know, with his temper and all. Who knows who he might attack next."

With this last statement, Sesshoumaru whirled around and began stalking purposefully towards the vampire. Fortune leapt hastily to his feet to avoid him, next taking up the spot next to Erin. "I think it might be rabid," he added, once again a safe distance from the youkai.

"And, you might be dead soon."

"Ah, I see. My lips are sealed." Fortune tightened his lips together in a pretend seal and looked back and forth from the youkai to Erin, prompting more laughter from the girl. With this kind of encouragement, Fortune could not help but ad at least one more jibe, "After all, I've had enough fists punched through my stomach for one evening, my dear, dear friend, Sesshoumaru." He frowned and lowered his eyes in mock sadness. "Would you even have missed me? Did I mean so little to you…."

"Enough," Sesshoumaru interrupted.

Fortune gave a few melodramatic sniffs, but otherwise complied with silence.

At least for a few moments, "Anything for you, my…"

"Stop."

"Yes sir. I will not say another word."

There were a few moments of silence before…

"Yesshir, Not another word."

"You are annoying."

"Oh, Sesshoumaru, even your insults are like music to my ears."

Sesshoumaru looked questioningly at Erin, wondering if the vampire would simply go away if he ignored him long enough. He toyed with the idea a moment before realizing he had tried it before and failed. Fortune's taunts won out over his nearly infinite patience every time. Fortune was just that annoying.

"Are you ready? I think we need to get cleaned up and you must be hungry," he asked, looking down at Erin.

"Yes, let's go. But, I'm not very hungry at the moment," she answered, trying not to think about the blood on her hand or the hole in Fortune's abdomen. She felt guilty about her bout of giggles spurred by Fortune's dog jokes, but then she was always prone to uncontrollable laughter when nervous.

The two left, with the vampire trailing behind.

"I'm not either," he stated to the backs of his companions.

"You are not what," Erin asked, looking behind her at the vampire.

"I'm not hungry…anymore."

Fortune did not wait for a response this time, but continued cheerfully, "Thanks for the snack, Sesshoumaru. It really hit the spot."

Erin could not help but giggle again a little nervously at what the vampire was implying, as well as at the sheer ridiculousness of said statement. She had never cared for dark humor very well until she had come into extended contact with these two.

Surprised to hear the giggle, Fortune was pleased, thinking that perhaps there was hope for the girl yet.

Erin stifled her giggles quickly, glancing up to see the youkai's response. She couldn't be positive, but it almost seemed like a blush was creeping up into his pale cheeks.

"Yes," Fortune patted his belly, "got a belly full of Sesshoumaru. Yummy." The wound in his chest had apparently healed.

Fortune pretended to burp, loudly, and complained about feeling overfull and how Sesshoumaru's blood was now giving him indigestion.

Sesshoumaru sighed. Why hadn't he killed him when he had the chance?

This was pretty darn weird, Erin mused, sharing jokes about drinking someone else's blood. It was gross, really, when you thought about it. It was as if you were joking with a cow, whilst you munched on a piece of barbecued brisket you'd just hacked off its shoulder. She gagged a little at the thought. Was spending time with these two a good idea? It could be dangerous? It might turn her into a bad person. Despite these doubts, she kept her place beside the youkai.

"A fist full of vampire intestines, delightful," Sesshoumaru responded, shocking them out of their thoughts with his uncharacteristic joke. "It was so delightful, I am considering doing it again. Very soon. That would take care of your overly full stomach, now wouldn't it Fortune?"

"I don't like it when you make jokes. You're too creepy." Fortune gave an exaggerated shiver.

"Hn," Sesshoumaru responded, not caring whether the vampire was joking or not. His attention had now turned to the particulars of getting the three of them cleaned up before they attracted any unwanted attention.

xxxxxxxxx

AN: Get ready, here is one helluva author's note:

Okay, a few questions about the writing in this chapter. Did you think that the mix of thoughts/dialogue was confusing, especially when I switched point of views? Or, was it pretty easy to follow. Lemmie know so that I can correct it, or not, in the next chapters. Also, was the current chapter's content too similar to previous fight scenes/Erin+Fortune scenes in previous chapters? Also, I didn't get any AFF reviews for the short Wind chapter (ch. 12) and so I was wondering if that was because it was because no one has read Inuyasha's manga chapter 410, or if it was just lame.

(it is now up to chapter 413, you know, but Sesshoumaru has not been in the last couple)

I may not be able to update for another week or two, depending on how this next week goes. I have to plan a 2nd birthday party and catch up on some of my part-time work from home stuff. In a few days, I'll probably have a better idea about when I will be posting chapter 15, so feel free to e-mail me if you want me to give you a more exact time—that way you'll know when to check back with the story.

For AFF, giving a chapter update schedule is helpful since they don't have automatic e-mail alerts—sorry I can't do it this time. Will try to next time!

One quick note: I wanted a few recommendations for some new, good fics to read on AFF. If you review, do you mind also recommending a fic or two that you like? In August, I may be having a slow period with a good deal more free time for a few weeks. I know, I know, I should spend it all writing—but you gotta have some stress relief too! I promise to have plenty of updates during that time!

Oh, and if you are still reading this unbearably long author's note, perhaps you are the sort who would be good material for my beta-reader. I had one and lost 'em. In this chapter especially, I deleted some dialogue and thoughts and then had a very hard time deciding if the intentions where still clear, so I added a little more back. When you are proofing your own stuff its difficult to determine if there is there are any confusing bits since you already know exactly what is happening and you unconsciously fill in any gaps while reading. E-mail me if interested.


	15. Cleaning up Edited

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters.

A streetlamp flickered nearby, reflecting patterns of light erratically off of the inky black puddle near Erin's foot. _That's blood, I think. _Erin's mind was quickly shutting down and she was losing her ability to process coherent thoughts. She refused to look at her hands, which felt sticky with the blood from Fortune's wound. That, coupled with the fact that all three of them were splattered with blood and Sesshoumaru had just recently removed his fist from Fortune's chest, all left her feeling both queasy and strangely detached. There was just so much blood—the blood on the ground, blood covering the two men, _why was there so much blood?_ She felt far away, as if she were watching the scene in a movie. _It would have to be a horror movie_, she thought, staring off into the distance quietly. _No, _she decided, _this did not feel like a movie, but more like a dream. _She stood very still, wondering if perhaps she would wake up any second.

"We are leaving," Sesshoumaru's monotone startled her out of her trancelike state. Still feeling a little dazed, she did not move, but watched him out of the corner of her eye. He turned swiftly and began walking away in the direction from which he had arrived. This finally got her moving and she stumbled after him in her haste to catch up. She did not want to be left behind here, dream or not.

Fortune called out to the two of them, "my home is near, just around the corner in fact. We may clean up there if you wish."

Sesshoumaru looked doubtfully at the vampire. He was surprised that he could have missed the location of his daytime resting place if it were indeed so near. The vampire's guile was somewhat commendable at times.

Fortune had stripped off his tattered and bloodied shirt, revealing the pale skin of his chest gruesomely splattered with blood. There were also trails of blood soaking the front of his pants, but he must have decided it best to leave those on for now. The wound that had caused the bloody mess had quickly healed.

Considering the fact that they were all covered in blood, Sesshoumaru was inclined to accept the vampire's offer. The hotel was farther away, and located in a more populated area.

"You may take us to your home if it is indeed as close as indicated."

Without a response, Fortune tossed the shirt down a sewer drain and began walking in the opposite direction. Sesshoumaru followed, "come Erin," he prodded her shoulder gently startling her out of the trancelike state she had reverted back into during the brief exchange.

After only a few feet Sesshoumaru stopped, causing Erin to collide unceremoniously into his back. He seemed to hear something, but all Erin could hear were the small insects buzzing around her ears. She brushed a mosquito from her cheek, leaving a small smear of blood on her hand. _More blood_, she thought numbly.

Sesshoumaru had been aware of the two figures standing deep in the shadows when he first approached the scene. Despite several attempts, he had been unable to catch any lingering scent from the two figures. This was strange in itself. However, Erin's distress had effectively wiped the puzzling and mysterious figures from his mind. It was more pressing that he remove Fortune from Erin's jugular at that point.

Now that they were departing, his attention was yet again directed to the shadowed figures upon hearing them speaking in what he judged to be a Slavic tongue. He strained to catch their softly spoken words.

"To je nebespecany. Videl jsi Fortune."

"Ano"

_They know of Fortune, _he noted. In that case, he decided that they were likely vampires as well; masking their presence as he had knew Fortune was also capable. They continued their conversation;

"Take tam je holka. Ona ye jeho snadiny."

"To ye Pravda. Pojdme. "

_Holka, hm, they are likely talking about Erin. _Sesshoumaru spoke some Russian and Croat, having become somewhat of a linguaphile over the centuries, but since this was neither of those languages, his understanding was limited to the one word. Even so, that single word, _holka_ (girl), revealed enough for him to comprehend their intention. When Rin was alive, she had been used as a tool with which to attempt the manipulation of his powers on numerous occasions whether at the hands of Naraku or some other evil. Erin, it seemed, would likely share a similar fate.

Sesshoumaru sighed and continued walking. He should be accustomed to this by now. He would discuss it with Fortune at a later date so as not to further alarm Erin. She was likely nearing the ends of her tolerance for dangerous situations. He had learned early on with Rin that she could only take so much bloodshed before dissolving into hysterics.

Judging by the now familiar shell-shocked expression on Erin's face, she was similar to Rin in this regard as well. Sesshoumaru knew what he had to do. He had learned this comforting technique late in Rin's life and was given the chance to practice it on several occasions, thus enabling him to become adept at wielding it effectively. He carefully wrapped his right arm around Erin's shoulders and pulled her close against him. She looked up at him in surprise. He gave her the smallest of smiles and was pleased to see her expression become peaceful. After a few seconds, she even smiled back warmly. It worked every time.

After only a few blocks they were deep into the surrounding neighborhoods. Much sooner than expected, Fortune stopped in front of pair of huge oak trees announcing, "We're home." Erin could see the white facade of a French revival style home, a typical style for the area of town, peeking through the gaps in the tree branches. Fortune stepped in between the pair of trees and proceeded down a series of stepping-stones, which had almost been completely obscured by years of uncontrolled mossy undergrowth. The other two followed, Sesshoumaru ducking beneath a low branch, breathing in the rich scent of damp earth and moss as he stepped under the great oaks and proceeded towards the large home. On each side, an overgrown garden of antique roses, gardenia bushes, and wisteria encroached on the path. Erin pulled a gardenia flower from a nearby branch and, after breathing in its intoxicating sweetness, placed it behind her ear. The brisk walk, as well as Sesshoumaru's unexpected comforting gesture, had done wonders for her state of mind.

Fortune climbed the creaking steps leading up to the long porch towards a thick paneled walnut door decorated with ornate beading. He produced a silver key from his pocket and unlocked the door. "Come on in," he waved his hand in a friendly gesture, seemingly pleased at the opportunity to entertain guests in his home. He led the two of them into a long hallway ending in a wide staircase. A wave of hot, stale air assaulted their senses. Sesshoumaru's sharp nose picked up the acrid odor of mildew. He also caught the faint whiff of decay from somewhere deep in the house.

Fortune laid his key on a marble-topped commode, gesturing for them to follow him into a room off to the left. The old wood floors creaked with each step. Following the others down the hallway, Erin trailed her fingers along the faded velvet and silk floral-patterned wallpaper, enjoying the textured feel of it under her fingertips. Before entering the room, she paused to admire the stained glass transom above the doorway_. I'll bet the colors look so beautiful with sunlight shining through. Too bad Fortune can't appreciate that._

The parlor was impressive. The large room was elaborately furnished in typical Victorian style. There were several overstuffed red velvet chairs, including a settee and a couch with wood trim decorated with ornate flowery carvings and filigree. Two large and colorful oriental rugs covered the oak floors and the walls were again covered in the textured wallpaper, only this time the motif was limited to rose and cream colored pin stripes. Several rosewood tables and chairs were also scattered throughout, displaying a set of ivory inlayed boxes, and doilies—white lacey doilies were everywhere. There were doilies on tables, draped across chair arms, and on the backs of chairs.

It was furnished, as was the rest of the home, tastefully with nineteenth century antique furnishings, looking for all intents and purposes as if a Victorian family occupied the home rather than a single male vampire.

"Oh, this place is so great," Erin gushed.

"Fortune," Sesshoumaru queried, "did you kill off the entire family living here in order to possess this lovely home?"

"I'll have you know I acquired this place strictly by legitimate means," he responded in an affronted tone, "though I am a little flattered that you would think so well of me. An entire family! And afterwards stealing all their possessions—now that would be quite an accomplishment."

"And I am certain you are quite capable of such an atrocity."

"It was an inheritance, if you must know"

Sesshoumaru took another glance around the room and reached down to finger a delicate tassel hanging off a silk pillow, "None of these appear very old. I thought you had been around longer than the nineteenth century, Fortune."

"Oh, I've been around for much longer than that," he corrected flippantly, settling himself down onto a red velvet settee and grinning up at the youkai mischievously.

"You are getting blood on your legitimately obtained furnishings," Sesshoumaru pointed out.

"I will take care of it later. I have become quite adept at removing bloodstains from my furniture. I've had many years of practice after all." Fortune grinned even more broadly at this statement.

Sesshoumaru resisted the urge to chuckle at this grim joke. The vampire was becoming almost adept at eliciting reactions from him with his banter—the key word here being 'almost'.

Erin looked around the room, studying a series of oil paintings of garden scenes when her eyes settled on a portrait of a graying woman to her left. The woman wore a severe expression and was dressed formally in Victorian style clothing. But what held her attention were her eyes, they were the same peculiar gray color as Fortune's—a little darker and less intense perhaps, but a striking resemblance nonetheless. She was a little surprised by this since she had assumed the unusual gray color of his eyes to be a vampire trait. She looked back and forth from the woman in the painting to Fortune, finally deciding that despite the similarity in color, Fortune's eyes held an otherworldly look that was difficult to pin down.

"Who is this woman in the painting, Fortune? She looks like you, a little around the eyes."

"Oh, that was my great-great-great-niece, Charlotte Dubois."

"Your niece? She looks so old?" Erin was a little confused by the mention of all the 'greats'.

"Well yes, she was, in fact, already deceased when I took possession of the painting. It was an inheritance of sorts."

Only vaguely registering what was being discussed, the mention of family caught Sesshoumaru's attention. He had not heard the vampire speak often of his family. It was interesting for him to contemplate having your blood 'descendents' still walking the earth, but in human form. His curiosity was piqued and he was prompted to ask, "how did you acquire such an inheritance so many years after you were supposed to have been dead, Fortune?"

"Let's see, how do I explain this," the vampire paused in an uncharacteristic loss for words, "I impersonated a great-great-great-great nephew of mine," he was not certain if he got the number of 'greats' correct here, but continued, "I thereby succeeded in acquiring many of the fine historical pieces you see around you. It was the best way to keep these items in the family, so to speak."

_His great, great, great, great nephew_? Erin wondered exactly how old that would make Fortune. Perhaps it was impolite to ask. "Your nephew, I mean great-great nephew, didn't he want all these things?"

"You see, Erin," his voice now took on a patronizing tone as he was annoyed with the direction that the questions were taking, "he was of poor birth and had not the necessary resources needed to maintain his inheritance, which included many family lands, furniture, this lovely home, and so on. That is why, I, a more deserving and conscientious candidate was instead fated to receive these family heirlooms."

Sesshoumaru was dubious of this explanation, "You did not answer the question, vampire. Why did your nephew not protest at your stealing both his inheritance and his identity?"

"Great great great nephew," fortune corrected, still not certain if he had gotten all the 'greats' correct, and offering no further explanation. Instead, he made a great show of studying a figurine of a hunting spaniel perched on the table to his right.

Sesshoumaru was beginning to realize that his teasing accusations of foul play earlier were not unfounded, "I see. Your reticence is quite suspect. Go on—explain what happened to this nephew of yours." He was quite certain the explanation would reveal more of Fortune's depraved nature.

"If you _must _know," Fortune finally answered in a condescending tone, making certain the others knew of his irritation at having this bit of embarrassing information dragged from him, "he died before he could claim his birthright."

"You mean you murdered him," Sesshoumaru offered.

"I wouldn't use those exact words."

"Are there better words to describe such a despicable act—butchery, slaughter, homicide," Sesshoumaru teased in a deadpan voice.

_You are one to talk_, Fortune thought angrily. "Yes, yes, I killed him and stole his identity. But if you had known the little bastard, you would realize that the world was better off without him."

"Well, if you are any indication, I would imagine so. Your relatives were undoubtedly as odorous as you. "

Erin listened quietly to the entire exchange, looking quite pale at this point.

"That's pretty twisted, Fortune," she finally added.

"Yes, thanks. No regrets. I have kept up the property quite well as you can see."

Erin was shocked at his careless dismissal. "You should at least feel sorry for it, you know," she chided.

Fortune did not reply, but instead looked down and began to study the Staffordshire figurine yet again thinking, _if that little bitch doesn't get off her high horse soon, I'm going to take great pleasure in knocking her off myself._

"I presume the doilies are your personal touch, Fortune," Sesshoumaru asked in what would have been a snide tone if he allowed any inflection into his voice.

"As you should know, my long-lived friend, Victorians believed that everything should be highly decorated. This sentiment always seemed in conflict with their conservative nature. They did not approve of smiling," he gestured towards the dour expression gracing his niece's face, "of course, their teeth were falling out."

He paused, as if considering a thought, "not to say there have not been some minor changes in the décor. I have added modern plumbing and electricity as well. But, these details were not self-inspired. Emma, one of my human friends, directed these changes some time back."

"Your human friend. Did you kill her as well?"

Fortune said nothing but sent him an angry glare which only served to fuel his suspicions. He was enjoying getting the better of the vampire.

With the issue of his nephew settled, Fortune directed the others to the washroom to clean up and went in search of fresh clothing. Strangely, he felt pleased to have visitors in his home again, such things always made him feel vaguely human again and he was uncertain why that should please him at all. As he ascended the stairs which lead to the bedrooms, he recalled that last time he had entertained others in his home, if you did not count any of his soon to be victims. Those did not remain alive for very long.

Staring back down the stairwell, a memory of the young woman, Emma, tugged at the edges of his thoughts. He let it wash over him in a wave of nostalgia.

_Emma trailed her fingers along the stair railing before waving those fingertips, covered with thick gray dust, in front of Fortune's face. _

"_You need a maid."_

"_But I have you, don't I?"_

"_Though I'm still not certain what I am to you, Fortune, I am definitely not your maid. Or was this your plan all along—gain the trust of an innocent human girl, tempt me back to your home, only to then force me into a life of perpetual servitude cleaning your messes."_

_Fortune smirked down at the young woman, stepped closer until they were mere inches apart, "I don't make messes. Things are just as they were when dear Charlotte passed away. Everything here is as untouched as you are, love." He reached out to touch her cheek and Emma stepped back quickly, causing her to come perilously close to the stair's edge. Fortune quickly snaked an arm around her waist and pulled her back a safe distance. "And you are too clumsy to be my housekeeper, at any rate. You would most assuredly prove yourself to be a disaster."_

"_Humph" Emma turned away and crossed her arms over her chest, pouting. Fortune loved that expression. The barest corners of her full lips were turned down in a childish sulk and her eyes narrowed sullenly. There was a faint blush coloring her cheeks. She looked quite alluring in fact._

"_All right. If it bothers you that much, I will allow you to clean," Fortune taunted, smirking again._

"_Shut up, Fortune, I just do not like being called clumsy."_

"_But you are! It is one of your more redeeming characteristics."_

"_Oh really, what, pray, are my other redeeming features in your eyes, Fortune."_

_Fortune paused. He wanted to make this good. Perhaps he might inspire another one of those lovely pouts again, "Your childlike manner is enchanting. You remind me of a spoiled rotten four year old. And, your flaws are interesting, that prominent scar across your chin gives you character and looks so very human. Let's see, your eyes are a little too close together, making you seem unintelligent and reminding one that you don't often use your head —I count this as a redeeming characteristic since I find that feeblemindedness is always a plus in a woman..."_

"_Just stop it Fortune! That is not funny. You are such a little shit!" Emma had tears in her eyes at this point. She turned away again, burying her face in her hands. Fortune had been hoping for a pout, but realized he had gone a bit too far with his teasing, as he was apt. He did not enjoy seeing her tears. _

"_Emma," Fortune called softly, gently trying to pry her hands from her eyes, "I was only joking. You know how I am. Come on, I'll take you out to a restaurant tonight."_

_Emma looked up at this, eyes puffy and red from crying, "But I thought you hated going out in public." When he shrugged, she smiled and giggled, recovering quickly, "I'll just get washed up." _

_Those were crocodile tears, you spoiled little thing, Fotune thought watching her hurry off to dress._

Fortune leaned against the stairwell, gazing off into the distance with a small smile on his face. _Too bad it turned sour in the end, _he mused. _Or, perhaps sour was the wrong word to use, since her blood had been so sweet. _It had taken place soon after she had insisted on 'updating' his home with the installation of running water and electricity, at his expense of course, and adding a few of her own decorative touches which he never could quite decide whether he cared for or not. The good intentions of his few human friends often closely preceded their demise. He shook his head. Sometimes he even surprised himself with his own nefarious deeds. But as the infrequent feeling of surprise never failed to please him, he again headed off towards the bedrooms with a spring in his step.

Fortune resisted the urge to delve into his late niece's drawers in search of a lacy undershirt with which to offer the youkai. He tried to imagine an affronted look on Sesshoumaru's face in reaction. However, imagining_ any_ expression on the stoic youkai's face was not an easy task, but he smiled at the idea anyway. In the end he decided against this course of action, however, since he did not wish to disturb the neatly folded contents of those drawers. He prided himself in keeping things in the home as they were. It gave him a sense of security, having a place to return to each morning that appeared untouched by the passage of time.

Fortune did not change his own clothing, since etiquette dictated that he first see to the comfort of his guests. After selecting several shirts from his own personal belongings, Fortune returned to the parlor to find Erin and Sesshoumaru sitting in silence. Again, he wondered how Erin could tolerate the youkai's reticence, _didn't he bore her_ he wondered, tossing the clean shirts in their general direction. Sesshoumaru began removing his bloodstained shirt.

_Oh boy_, Erin thought worriedly, _now I'm the only female in the room with two half-naked, good-looking men. _She supposed it did not matter though, since neither of the two were actually 'men' in the traditional sense—_half naked vampire and youkai_, she corrected.She wondered if this made it less scandalous.

"Put these on," Fortune pointed to the small pile clothing which had landed in a heap on the floor, "and don't worry about returning them to me. Keep them. Erin, I know that you need all the clean clothing you can find."

"I only wore that shirt twice because my clean ones were in the wash at the time," Erin exclaimed shrilly, remembering the incident a few nights back when Sesshoumaru had sniffed delicately at her soiled shirt, causing Fortune to burst into a fit of laughter. "I can't help it if we didn't have washing powder for like a month!"

Fortune smiled at her reaction and gingerly picked up Sesshoumaru's discarded shirt and the label caught his eye. "Louis Vuitton, huh. Isn't that what all the rap stars are wearing nowadays," he asked, looking at Erin who simply shrugged her shoulders. "Yes, I think so. Let's break out the Hennessy. Sesshoumaru, you're so icy," he sang the last statement, making Erin erupt into giggles. He was pleased that his joke, not even one of his better ones, had caused her to laugh.

Someone had to keep the three of them entertained, after all. Fortune smiled, he was certainly well-equipped for such a role.

"I have been called that before," Sesshoumaru responded in a bored tone.

"Not in the way you are thinking of, my friend."

Sesshoumaru ignored the vampire and pulled on his borrowed shirt, marveling at the agreeable sound of the girl's laughter. She did remind him of Rin in so many ways.

_AN: This chapter was a little different. Hard to beat the last chapter's fight scene, so I hope you like it. Thank you for all the reviews! I was so pleased to get so much response from the last chapter. Guess I did something right there. And yes they helped motivate me! These past two weeks have been so busy, but you have been so kind that I made certain I found time to write so that I could update on time. I will try to update again within two weeks time if possible. Still have that birthday party coming up next week and need to get some of these edited earlier chapters of this story fixed up and read to repost. As such might need a little longer to update a new chapter. In August, I hope to have a little block of time in there to do a good deal of writing, so hopefully I'll give you a few, quicker updates during that time. As always, review and let me know what you thought of the chapter and offer any suggestions you wish._

_Botticelliangel: Thank you so much for spotting the time problem in the previous chapter. I can't believe I had it so screwed up and didn't notice. You're great! And I'm glad that you enjoyed the fight scene as well as Fortune's free lunch._

_Gem: glad you found the chapter refreshing and I really am looking forward to reading those story suggestions. Thanks for taking the time and e-mail me anytime._

_Flowers: Glad that I struck a cord with your fan girl fantasy, and ever so pleased that you found my story engaging. I love Elsewhere, as you already know._

_Susanne: I'm happy to hear that my writing is improving since that is what I've been striving for all along. And it's nice to hear you like the characters. It is difficult to keep Sess in character, so good to know that I'm succeeding somewhat. Um, this chapter may mess things up a bit though. Oh well._

_Unknownlady: You live only an hour from New Orleans—Baton Rouge perhaps? You ought to e-mail me._

_Liberatedmysterygirl: Thanks a bunch for the help as a beta for this chapter. It's been fun and thanks for all your support._

_Dark Avenger: Thanks to you as well for help in beta-ing my early chapters. I will post the edits sometime this week (very proudly, I might add). Thank you as well for the review and word of support. Thanks for the support and the story recommendations. I just love wickedoni, don't you?_

_Hesha07: Glad you enjoyed the chapter and thought it flowed well._

_Sirval: I read your story and enjoyed it! Thanks for the tip. Still wondering how you happened across mine…._

_Off the beaten path: Yeah—I'm proud to have inspired your laughter, especially since it was more than once. Hope you keep enjoying this fic and keep laughing._

_Special thanks also to Jane Doe, who has also offered to work as a beta on the early chapters. _

_Er, and please excuse my bad Czech. My friend never got back to me to help me with grammar. I'll correct it when she does._


	16. Souls

_Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or any of its characters._

Does a house have a soul?

The view from the street of the great, white French Revival home had become obscured over the years by the untamed growth of the garden left to its own devices, as well as by the low hanging oak branches and masses of tangled gray vines. Consequently, since Fortune _was _standing on that well-lit, pleasant street in front of his home, he did find that he had to crane his neck every which way to find a clear view needed to glimpse his home's interior through the windows.

But in order to look into a house's soul, you must be able to see through its windows.

Light was shining brightly through the large windows across the lower story, but even so they appeared strangely vacant and devoid of life. _They had not always looked so_, Fortune recalled.

----------

Years ago, a niece, a nephew, and more cousins, all of varying ages, had once skidded up and down the long hallway of the home and across the wood floors in games of chase and hide and seek. Bounding from room to room, they pounded up the stairs to the bedrooms and out the back door to the hide and run in the garden. Charlotte, never having had children of her own, doted on these children, enjoying the added warmth and life with which they seemed to endue her home. She encouraged them to spend their summers here, trampling the newly planted tulips in her gardens and hiding under the large pine beds.

"_Aunt Charlotte, we picked you some flowers for you. See," Lilith, her young niece, chimed happily, her chubby little fingers holding out a spray of jasmine and something wild she had found growing along the edges of the garden._

_Smiling, the elegant, dark-haired woman held out her own delicate hand to take the flowers. She leaned forward and pressed a quick kiss to the child's forehead before the little girl bounded off again to join her older cousins. She preserved the flowers later between the pages of a thick volume containing an anthology of birds._

During the winters, Charlotte entertained a more mature crowd in the parlor with witty conversations, games of poker and canasta, and occasionally, in the dining room with strong drink and well-spiced food cooked by her maid, Mary, who was blessed with ample culinary skills. During the months designated for the Madi Gras season, relatives, friends from out of town, and even the children poured in and out of the home, caught up in the myriad of activities, grand balls and parades surrounding the festive season proceeding Lent. These mid-winter days were often spent sleeping until noon, while the nights were a flurry of activity; white, tan and lavender trimmed dresses tossed to and fro in fits of feminine indecision. Her husband would arrive home late in the evening still needing to change into his dark dress clothes, but there was time. The events would last well into the night, leaving sufficient room for belated appearances.

After all the noise and bluster, the house was finally left dark and quiet for the evening as Charlotte had turned her silver key in the door lock. Husband and wife, arms linked, descended the broad porch steps together to attend whatever ball their section of New Orleans's society was throwing.

The house was never the same without Charlotte around. It was not only her vibrant, personality or keen eye for decorating, but also her knack for attracting appealing and lively guests to the home that ever filled it with laughter and interest. After her death, the house was left, as Fortune preferred, nearly as it had been in Charlotte's day. The color scheme was preserved with her vivid reds, blues and soft creams setting off the dark hued rosewood and oak furnishings. Her prized Staffordshire figurines and collection of Birdseye maple decorative boxes were left in their originally strategically placed positions on various furniture pieces. All the meticulously planned themes and small personal touches with which she had decorated the home had been left fastidiously intact. He had been reluctant to make even the smallest change, even in the name of functional and modern renovations. However, at Emma's prodding, nearly seventy five years later he had consented to a few of these changes.

The fact that he desired consistency and valued repetition also made it pleasurable to maintain the home in its traditional fashion. Still, none of these measures were able to preserve the warmth and vibrancy that had made his niece's home so attractive to Fortune while she was still living.

Yes, even Fortune was in and out of the grand home on several occasions while Charlotte was alive.

The house and its possessions could still be called lovely—but in distant way, taking on an almost artificial, museum-like quality. After over a hundred years of legal possession, he still did not feel like the true owner of this house. Instead, he felt like a naughty child who happened across the key –a sort of inhuman Goldilocks who sat in chairs too big or two small, slept in beds too soft or too hard, as well as stealing the lives of those around him to obtain nourishment. It was an unusual feeling, to feel like a stranger in what was, for all intents and purposes, your own home for so many years.

He had quickly discovered this one truth—that the house he has so coveted during Charlotte's lifetime, the home which seemed to glow with life and laughter and radiate contentment and joy, was only an empty shell, a mere reminder, after her death.

He already knew this, but still he had stood out there in the darkness, straining to catch a glimpse of the life inside of the large white house.

Nighttime suited the home now. If you walked its halls by daylight, the sunlight would reveal a set of dusty and faded ladies' hats carefully preserved in their original position, untouched by human hands so long as to lose their sense of utility. When entering the parlor by day, the illusion of a wealthy and plush atmosphere was dashed by the subtle fading on large portions of the velvet cloth covering the furniture. There were tracks where a hundred years of sunlight had traveled, leeching the color and leaving long swathes of material with a slightly yellowed appearance. Some of the oil paintings had also faded in streaks where the countless hours of sunlight had played across its pallet. Others simply had landscape colors which had faded from once brilliant jades and rusts into dull green- browns and gray. It was obvious that no one had utilized the carefully preserved rooms of the home for quite some time.

Fortune had allowed this to happen. He was not ignorant of the slow, stealthy workings of time and sunlight on the colors and dyes of his possessions. Yet he did not shift or shade the furniture and pictures in attempt to protect them from the ravages of time. They belonged to him, as he did reside therein, but he did not feel he had the right to disturb this place, nor did he desire to. Thus, his obsessive nature and his memory of the home's former warmth kept him from moving the pieces, even to protect them from time.

Despite all these things, at times, Fortune did feel a certain affinity. He knew what it felt like to be without a soul, or at least to have one which was both sorely neglected and hopelessly impractical in his current position. If anything, it must be an ancient, withered artifact of his humanity preserved pitifully inside of the immortal shell of his body. It was left only to sit and grow pale and yellowed under the weight of time. _What was left of it, if anything, after all this time, all this violence, all this blood? Left to grow pale and yellowed under the weight of time…or, would his soul instead be stained darker, blacker with dried blood and disuse?_

As for his home, he had long ago come to the conclusion that the house and its many possessions, as illogical as it sounded, only responded to Charlotte's presence. While she was alive, the distant beauty was nonexistent, instead the home around her glowed with charm and geniality. You felt welcome, as if by the mere association with Charlotte's presence you belonged there as well. Fortune could not decide if this was due to her natural charm or if, by design, she had forged some sort of connection to the house through her careful ministrations to make it beautiful. Either way, it acted almost as an extension of her vivacious and gentle personality.

Realizing all of this, that he could never have the warmth of humanity which had initially made the home inordinately attractive, did not make him sad. Frustrated perhaps, even foolish, but never sad. He had spent many long years in conflict, before he slowly loosened his grip on the last tattered vestiges of his humanity. He had reconciled himself to this fact and so no longer grieved its loss. He had always known, in the back of his mind, that the house's soul, his own soul, were now inaccessible, fleeting qualities which he could no longer touch. They were tied to humanity and death—things lost to him long ago. Instead he was left with two museum pieces, the human soul preserved inside his immortal body like some sort of brittle half-formed fetus, as well as the empty corpse of a house containing her carefully preserved and unused possessions.

Fortune finally left the street and started toward the back of the house. He had stood outside of many homes looking in, watching the humans there, their lives filled with a million frivolous, repetitive daily actions—cooking, cleaning, dressing, and working. He saw also the distinct, noteworthy events—arguments, joyful embraces, lovemaking. He observed their mercurial existence and wondered what it was that could possibly be lacking.

An inhabited home, with its personal and private belongings, Fortune imagined, seemed to steadily chant,

_I'm alive, I'm alive, I'm alive…._

_----------------------_

He also fancied that his own habitation would voice a similar mantra as the boarded up, abandoned homes just a mile or two off in the lesser neighborhoods to the north. Its empty windows would seem to whisper,

_I was once alive, I was once alive…._

Sesshoumaru watched Erin slowly rocking back and forth in the old chair, each movement eliciting an abrasive and annoying _creak, creak_ from the wooden baseboards of the wide porch.

He was mulling over the events of the previous evening. Fortune had been trying to draw her out in conversation and she had responded, though in a halting and shy way. He was not sure if he approved of this new interaction between the two of them. It left the bitter taste of jealousy on his tongue, causing him to watch and overanalyze every little move, every gesture, and each word that passed between the two of them. It was his nature, he supposed, to be protective and jealous. He sighed, realizing this was similar, like so many other things, to what had transpired before.

Fortune was due to arrive any minute. The sun had set just minutes before and, in the dark branches of the trees, some sort of summer insect had begun its soft hypnotic droning. He had asked Erin what sort of insect it was out of idle curiosity.

"Someone once told me they were locusts," she answered uncertainly, "this time of year; I used to find their shells stuck to the bark of the trees. I'd pull them off and stick them to my sister—she's so scared of bugs." She chuckled at the memory.

Sesshoumaru gave her a look that might have been one of mild shock. "Why would you do that?"

"I don't know. I guess it was fun to chase her. She would scream too. It's not like they could hurt her or anything."

Sesshoumaru paused a few moments, as if carefully weighing whether or not he should say anything more on the subject before he continued, "You shouldn't have done that."

"What?" Erin was confused. Was he still talking about bugs?

"Never mind." He dismissed the subject abruptly.

Erin accepted this, closing her eyes and enjoying the feeling of the steady rocking. The previous discussion and the sound of the low droning of insects brought to mind hot summer evenings spent playing with her older sister. Before her mother had died, they had spent many summers on her Aunt's spread of land outside the city. Her home was a small trailer situated at the edge of a couple of acres of empty pastureland bordered by thick woods. They would spend their days exploring the woods and a shallow creek flowing near by and the long, quiet hours of the late evening sprawled out on the floor of her Aunt's trailer together, watching television.

Oftentimes, her Mother and Aunt would leave them for an hour or two in the evenings before turning out the lights and directing them to go to sleep on the fold out couch. The girls would watch stealthily from cracks in the window blinds as their Aunt backed the old Ford Mustang down the gravel drive. The sweep of headlights illuminated the surrounding trees and they searched them for the ghostly outlines of animals or the eerie green reflection of eyes peering out of the surrounding woods.

"_I think I saw a raccoon!"_

"_Too low to the ground, that was just an opossum, or a rat."_

"_Look! I think that's a deer." _

"_No, that just was the neighbor's dog." _

"_Or a coyote maybe?"_

"_Doubt it."_

This nightly ritual helped the girls feel more secure in knowing what creatures were lurking in the woods near by. Still, it was both terrifying and strangely exciting to think that one day they might see the outline of something large and feral such as a wolf or bear caught in the retreating beams of light, or even something more sinister.

"_I saw 'Rudy' dragging his bloody foot."_

"_Ha ha."_

"_Yeah, it was probably just a serial killer."_

They made a game of daring each other to venture outside alone. They would stand in the dark, trembling, until fear sent their feet scrambling back towards the trailer. Sometimes it was for thirty seconds, a minute, or even longer in her sister's case. Erin could never seem make it past a minute— her heart would begin racing and she would start feeling small and cramped, as if the darkness were closing in around her. Sometimes her sister would hold the door closed until she would scream and cry in terror, beating her small fists against the door. But part of the role of a little sister was to ignore these things and, inevitably, she would agree to try again. Once, her sister had dared her to run through the dark to the tree line and back.

Erin could hear the gravel drive crunching under her feet, the only indication of how far she was from the tree line since her eyes had not yet adjusted to the darkness. Finally, she felt cool grass under her feet, 'not far now.' Her eyes had adjusted partially by then and she could barely make out the grayish forms of the trees ahead of her.

_She stopped short. _

_A pair of eyes flashed in front of her, reflecting the light shining from the trailer's windows._ '_It's probably just a rabbit,' she thought, trying to calm racing heart._

_It growled._

Erin tore back across the yard towards the trailer, her heart and legs pumping furiously. 'I won't make it, I won't make it.' The thought kept circling in her head. She felt her foot scrape the gravel of the driveway and she was instantly blinded by a flash of light. Relief flooded over her, melting the terror away. Her Mother and Aunt—they were back. With that thought, a new fear wormed its way into her thoughts. "I'm going to be in so much trouble."

That event marked the last of their nighttime escapades. Her Aunt moved away to Nevada shortly thereafter. At the time, Erin was both sad and relieved.

Her reverie was interrupted by the creaking of the door and Fortune's smooth voice, "Are you two going to sit out there all night?"

He escorted them inside and down the hallway to the parlor. He thought they might play a game of cards tonight, or perhaps chess would be nice. The game tables had not been used in years.

---------------------

Sesshoumaru stood watching Fortune and Erin play chess in corner of the parlor. Actually, Fortune was teaching Erin to play chess, and making a mess of it. The vampire was not very patient with the girl, expecting her to understand the intricacies of the game without sufficient tutoring. Sesshoumaru did not interfere, since he knew that his own nature also lacked adequate patience to tutor a fourteen-year-old girl. Idly, Sesshoumaru let his fingers glide over the top of an antique writing desk, claws harmlessly upturned to avoid leaving scratches on its deep cherry wood stain. Instead, his fingertips left long trails in the dust-covered surface. _Did Fortune never clean his home? _

Sesshoumaru almost snickered at the image of Fortune in a maid's uniform complete with frilly duster, busily cleaning the room_. Good god! How could he have just found that image amusing? With thoughts such as these, he must be spending too much time with the vampire. Was his ridiculous sense of humor somehow contagious_?

He eyed the vampire suspiciously. Fortune seemed to be studying the pieces on the board intently, while Erin looked bored.

"Come on, Fortune. It's been three minutes. You aren't nervous, are you?"

"Pah! I'm just having a hard time deciding my next move. And do shut up—it's rude to interrupt another player." No closer to deciding his next move—he was highly paranoid the girl would win this time due to Sesshoumaru's coaching—he looked around the room for a distraction.

"Sesshoumaru, are you still standing around like a…what kind of animal stands all the time? Oh, like big, pink flamingo in my living room. I thought weasels were supposed to instinctively burrow, not stand around looking constipated," When Sesshoumaru ignored his taunt, Fortune stated again more loudly, "why don't you sit? Make yourself comfortable, or at least pretend to do so. You are making Erin here feel nervous with all your weasel-y glaring."

"I am a dog youkai. You forget."

"Forgetful, yes, that's it. At any rate, you look like a weasel. Could you please humor me and sit down and stop making us nervous."

Again, he ignored the vampire. Any unease on Erin's part was likely due to her close proximity to the vampire. It pleased Sesshoumaru to note that his mere presence could still unnerve her. However, she certainly was much more comfortable with the vampire now than a few days ago. Despite her obvious distaste for his bloodthirsty nature, there was an easing of tension of sorts between the two of them, enough so that they conversed freely with one another now.

Sesshoumaru was not sure how he felt about this easing of tension between Erin and Fortune. The events of a few evenings past were not entirely disastrous. The only fatality had apparently been one of his favorite shirts—as expected, the blood stains did not come out. In a seldom-indulged fit of anger, he had melted the thin material using his poison until it disintegrated completely beneath his angry gaze. Fortunately, no one was present to witness his transgression.

Not that it had bothered him in the least—the tension, that is. All that had been important to him was Erin's well-being and her continued fondness for him. _Yes,_ he admitted to himself this time around, _he was quite pleased to be the recipient of the young girl's attentions and admiration._ Little did he care if that regard included the vampire or not. _No_, he corrected himself, _a part of him did care_. That baser part of him, the instinct driven beast within, preferred to have no rivals for her attentions. Having her and Fortune at odds had given that instinctual side of himself a feeling of both superiority over the vampire and reassurance that her attentions would not be divided. _Not that he needed anything else in order to feel superior to the vampire_, he reminded himself.

Still, considering the potentially hazardous events of the previous eve, there were practical advantages of having the two companions on good terms. He would not have to worry overmuch about Erin becoming another of Fortune's victims. And, accordingly, she did not appear to show any preference for the vampire's company. Not ideal, perhaps, but then what was in this life—other than himself, of course.

A snippet from an earlier conversation he'd had with the vampire drifted through his mind.

_You mean you eat your friends?_

_Um, no, not exactly like that…well, yes, I have done that…_.

At any rate, Fortune could not very well be expected to be the able and deferential bodyguard that Jaken had been for Rin. He was too bloodthirsty for that.

_So much for Erin being safe with her new friend, Fortune,_ Sesshoumaru thought sarcastically_. I really should kill the vampire. Wait_, he groaned inwardly, _now that she and Fortune were 'friends' that would not be possible_. _At least he was amusing at times…_

This time it was Erin who interrupted his thoughts, "What does it mean exactly, to be an inu-youk…," she paused here, struggling to remember the correct pronunciation of the word."

"You mean a dog demon?" Fortune offered helpfully, still intently studying the board in front of him..

"A demon? Is that the same thing as a youkai," Erin asked, looking up at Sesshoumaru.

"That is one translation for the word, yes."

"A demon," Erin repeated again incredulously, "does that mean you come from hell, torture souls, work for Satan, the whole bit?" Somehow this did not at all fit the silver- haired angelic figure standing before her. "Can you enter holy ground?"

"Of course it's true. Didn't I tell you that he tortured all those other young girls," Fortune offered with a smile much too broad to be fitting for such a statement.

"I did no such thing," the youkai corrected. Though his face was unreadable, he had been highly amused that she might think that he 'worked' for the devil. In attempt to clear the confusion caused by the imprecise translation, he clarified, "'Demon' is indeed one of the English equivalents to 'youkai', but it is not an accurate summation of what I am. I do not work for Satan, and I am not a demon of the sort that you would find in Christian mythology. There does not seem to be an completely acceptable translation—perhaps spirit or magical creature might be another word equivalent to youkai, but those are not very precise either."

"I was thinking 'fairy'," Fortune offered snidely.

Erin thought she was more confused now than before, but she was a little relieved to hear that at least he was not purely evil. She had been raised catholic and it was nice to know that she was not endangering her immortal soul by association.

"I liked it better believing you were an evil dog sent from the pits of hell to torture us with your dim wit and dull sense of humor," Fortune added.

Erin was reminded of her earlier question, "What does it mean that you are a dog demon, then. You certainly don't look like a dog. You look more like an elf, or even a vampire."

Sesshoumaru looked rather taken aback by this comment, but made no reply.

"Yes, that is true." Fortune looked thoughtful. "You do not resemble a dog, perhaps that is why I keep forgetting," he chuckled.

"I think not."

"Truly, your characteristics are more…feline." Fortune was pleased to see the youkai stiffen slightly at this comment, though, as usual, no emotion registered on his features. "I am not joking. And, I think Erin will agree with me here, what dog ever uses its claws to fight." He got up and walked to the corner where Sesshoumaru stood, extending his hand, "if I may," he requested and grasped the youkai's hand, holding it up for Erin to see. "Look at these claws, very much like a cat's, don't you think, Erin?"

Sesshoumaru hastily jerked his hand free of the vampire's grip. He would not be made into as a sideshow by the insufferable leech.

"And, his eyes," Fortune continued, gesturing towards his face "as you can see, the jewel-like color reminds one of a cat's eyes, plus they are slightly slanted in shape like a feline. And these stripes," Fortune reached towards his cheek, "why they remind me of whiskers."

Sesshoumaru slapped the vampire's finger away, "my eyes are the shape that they are due to my heritage, buffoon."

"I've seen dogs with yellow eyes before," _and it was kind of creepy, _Erin protested, trying to show her support.

"Yet you cannot deny the problem with the claws. A dog's main defense is his ferocious bite and I've never seen Sesshoumuaru bite anyone, have you?"

"That would be your territory, vampire."

"Plus, you are quite fast, and amazingly agile—dogs are simply not so agile—are you _certain _that you aren't feline?"

"Yes."

"How can you be sure? Perhaps your mother lied about your father's identity?"

"No."

"It happens."

Fortune's assertion was met with stony silence, but this did not hamper his ability to continue the conversation unaided.

"But…but how can you be sure you aren't mistaken," Fortune repeated, almost laughing at this point. "Perhaps I am the first soul brave enough to inform you of this mistaken identity which has followed you throughout your entire life…how long have you labored under this misapprehension? Five hundred years?"

"I am not mistaken," Sesshoumaru simply stated again, flatly.

"But, how do you really _know_? You are obviously in denial. Look at all the evidence which I have presented to the contrary—you are definitely a feline youkai and judging by your hair," he paused here, squinting one eye quizzically, "and appearance, hm, I'd say your breeding hints of some sort of pampered Persian."

Hoping to end Fortune's amusement at his benefit, Sesshoumaru crossed his arms over his chest and turned away. This further served to help prevent him from slashing out angrily at Fortune with his claws.

_You won't stop me that easy, _Fortune thought stubbornly. He grinned broadly and began to shuffle through one of the drawers in the antique writing desk. He pulled out a photograph and shoved it towards Sesshoumaru.

It was a photo of a yellow Labrador retriever, hovering mere inches from his face. Sesshoumaru's eyes bled red for a moment and he swiped at the photo, slicing it in two with a flick of his claws. Irritation and desire to strike at the vampire grated his nerves. He used his sharp claws of his other hand to dig into the antique desk to his left, releasing his poison into the wood.

"My picture of Bo-bo! My desk! Sesshoumaru, no! Bad, bad, bad kitty!"

Swiftly, Sesshoumaru slapped the Fortune across the face, leaving him with five thin, red scratches running down his cheek and a dumbfounded expression. _I didn't see that one coming_, he thought, bemused.

"Stop that," Erin yelled, causing both men to turn immediately in her direction. Faced with the intense glare of two pairs of otherworldly eyes, Erin simply stood and stared, hands gripping the table in front of her and a frightened expression on her face. 

"All is well, Erin," Sesshoumaru said soothingly, as if he were attempting to calm a frightened animal, "we will not fight again."

"You could have fooled me," Fortune drawled out scathingly, brushing a hand over the thin lines of blood trailing down his pale cheek.

With this reassurance, Erin's grip on the table relaxed and she stood, pushing herself up from the table and approached the two males. She stopped a couple of feet away and bent down to the floor and began feeling around. _What the hell does she think she is doing_, Fortune wondered.

Erin righted herself, holding in her hand several pieces of the ripped photograph. Carefully, she pieced them together and looked at the uneven photograph of the dog. "Was this your dog?"

"Yes," Fortune seemed embarrassed. Sesshoumaru gave him a sharp look. The vampire never ceased to amaze him. "No animals would be able to tolerate your presence—your scent would be too disturbing," he commented in a matter of fact tone.

"Yes, well, Bo-bo, he was unique," Fortune clarified, a little hesitation in his voice.

_More likely the dog was exceedingly dim-witted. _Sesshoumaru chose not to voice this insult, since he was relieved that the attention had finally been drawn away from the questioning of his true nature. Taunting the vampire would only serve to further draw out this tiresome ordeal.

"Aw, I think that it was so sweet that you had a dog, Fortune. No one ever said that vampires can't have pets." Erin looked up at Fortune with shining eyes. She really liked dogs.

"Very human of you," Sesshoumaru could not resist adding after witnessing Erin's beaming face. She was giving him far too much credit.

"I always thought so." Fortune glanced at Sesshoumaru, giving him an amused smile.

"Sesshoumaru," Erin said, laying the torn photo carefully down on the writing desk, "is it true then, that you really are a cat youkai?"

"No," he spat. He was beginning to get a angry again. First, the vampire and now the girl were bent on harassing him to the ends of his patience today. Was there some conspiracy to annoy him? He did not miss the vampire's amused look at the exchange.

Erin lowered her eyes, communicating wordlessly that she must have been a little hurt by his sharp response.

More softly this time, he explained, "I am, indeed, a dog youkai." He saw Fortune's mouth open to speak again and he quickly raised a finger to silence him. "I know this for a fact since when I transform, I take the form of a canine."

"You can transform into a dog," Erin asked incredulously.

"Prove it," taunted Fortune, still wanting to continue his feline jokes, even though he was also a bit eager to see this new side of the youkai.

"No, I will not. My size would not permit that. I am several stories tall in my true form and, if you wish your house to remain intact, you should not ask this of me."

"Hm," was Fortune's only response. He was looking dreamily off into the distance and Sesshoumaru wasn't sure if he were processing this new bit of information, or were now bored with the conversation and had moved on.

"Wow," Erin responded, slightly more coherently.

Satisfied that his explanation had cleared the air and would allow the discussion to move forward to more appropriate topics, Sesshoumaru moved to stare out of the window into the darkened garden.

"You have not actually seen yourself in a mirror after you have transformed, have you Sesshoumuaru?"

Sesshoumaru stifled an irritated groan. _He plans to continue this ridiculous banter all evening, doesn't he? Surely this is the true meaning of torture._

"This place is dusty."

"I know that. Perhaps you would like to volunteer your services?"

Fortune looked across the chessboard at the back of Erin's head. She had gotten restless and began wandering about the room while he took his time in deciding his next move. Currently, she stood, with her back to him and next to Sesshoumaru, looking down at the trail of fingerprints he had left on the surface of the writing desk.

_Her hair...,_ Fortune thought, It was the wrong color, but its soft appearance reminded him of Emma somehow. Perhaps if she cut it shorter and styled her curls instead of straightening them, she would look quite similar to Emma.

In fact, he seemed to remember having this very discussion with Emma.

"I guess I could," she finally responded. She did not sound too enthused, but it caught him by surprise that she was even willing, "it really does need it," she added.

_This reaction was certainly different_, he noted, looking Erin over carefully. _Those two are not so similar in personality. _For some reason, that thought pleased him. _Erin is more innocent and naive. I suppose that comes with her being younger._

Tonight, Erin wore a couple of cheap, plastic bracelets sporting words such as, "Strength" and "Sassy". Other than these, she was unadorned and he thought she looked a bit frumpy in her faded jeans and t-shirt. He remembered that Emma had always loved jewelry—he had obtained several pieces for her during their time together—rings, elegant bracelets, expensive necklaces. Her smile was always so bright, and greedy, when presented with his expensive, if ill-gotten, gifts. With the exception of one time—he had given her a set of gold and sapphire earrings. Her lips had turned down slightly in that attractive pout of hers for an instant before she gave him a fake smile and thanked him a little too enthusiastically.

After prodding her, she finally admitted her deep distaste for yellow gold, "it's gaudy. I believe it should only be worn by rich old women."

_She had been such a spoiled little thing._

He wondered how Erin would look if he presented her with a pretty, little trinket.

_At least I might be able to get that stuffy youkai's goat. _With that thought, he now knew what he would be spending tomorrow evening.

_-------------_

_AN: Thanks to the reviewers of chapter 15! _

_Airian Reesu: I am so honored that you read and enjoyed my story because I'm a big fan of your work! So glad you liked Fortune—I never thought an OC would be so much fun to write. The Bubba scene was one of my favs as well. Had you laughing about the poetry, eh—well, bad poetry does that! Heh. My second fav thing to do is to write the little insight tidbits—makes me feel like the characters have some depth after writing, but they do write themselves—happy to know they are not completely overlooked. Am working on the errors—have edits up and ready to go of a few earlier chapters,just need to find time. _

_Sirval: Keep Your good work. And thanks for answering my question. I didn't realize you could search under type (horror). Yes, I am that computer dumb! It was interesting to read your exploration of Fortune's character. I don't claim to know all the workings of his mind, I'm just the writer. Hmmm...I do think he wants to have a more normal life at times._

_Sesshoumarubride: You are such a loyal reviewer. Know that you are appreciated!_

_Off the beaten path: Hope you like this one too._

_Natsumi sister: Hello new reviewer! Glad you liked it._

_Lady Kagewaki: Wow, 6 reviews! You rock! I appreciated all of them and I am also a fan of your work. I think my favorite all time line from one of your stories goes something like, 'he would show her the wonders of feudal Japan, such as his washboard stomach…' I can't wait to have time to sit and read ' Sess and Kensington' – have heard good things! Did you ever finish my story?_

_Special thanks to LiberatedMysteryGirl and Metria for their help in beta reading this chapter, as well as previous chapters. Couldn't have done it without you guys! big kiss, big hug_

_I will be re-posting edited versions of the first couple of chapters soon. I will include a note in the summary that that is what I am doing so it won't seem like a new chapter is up. (trying to do better about that). Have a good amountof Chapter 17 written, so it may be up on or before next Saturday. A quicker update, yes! _


	17. For Erin

_Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or any of its characters._

_Content warning - violence._

The evening's light, unobtrusive mist of rain was welcomed by the city's denizens after a day of which had offered very little in the way of respite from the sweltering temperatures. The rain, though light, was persistent and soon turned the sun bleached gray of the sidewalks slick and dark under the lamplight.

Huddled under a shallow eve, a pale, dark-haired man lounged against the small patch of dry concrete watching the customers filter in and out of Ampersand, a popular New Orleans club. His eyes darted back and forth between the two young blonds who were currently exiting the club. One was carrying on an animated conversation on a cell phone, while the other followed closely behind with a bored expression marring her pretty features.

Now she's about the right size, but she's wearing gold – why do so many young women wear yellow gold these days?

Ever since Emma's denunciation of his gift, he had avoided yellow gold, just in case.

Neither girl had noticed the dark figure under the eve, being quite used to men ogling their every move.

His attention soon turned to the next group, which consisted of three scantily clad darker-haired girls. This time his staring was noticed by one of the girls. She paused, studying his face for a moment and taking in his handsome features-- high cheekbones, full lips, striking eyes.

He smiled at her, but not a nice smile.

Nervously, she turned away, jogging the few feet required to re-join her friends. After she had gone only a little farther, she looked back over her shoulder, meeting his gaze. She shivered at what she saw there, looking away quickly.

Perceptive little bitch. Too bad she's not wearing any jewelry. I don't like the pieces that the others are wearing. There is not much of a selection tonight, is there?

A few minutes later, his eyes were following another pair of blonds entering the club. Neither had what he was looking for either.

Nope, nothing of interest. Why do women always seem to segregate themselves according to hair color?

There was a longer wait in between females this time. He was not sure why, but there were very few revelers out for a Friday night in the city.

The weather, perhaps that is what is keeping them away. There, that one, that looks like platinum. Very nice, but I don't think diamonds are quite what I'm looking for. Too wedding-ish. I'm not proposing. Don't want that little half-wit thinking she's to be the next Bride of Dracula.

He smiled at his own dim joke. Shifting into a more comfortable position, he wondered how much more time he was willing to spend here tonight. The traffic in and out of the club had already slowed to a crawl.

Nice garnet, but gold again.

White gold and sapphire – this would be perfect if the girl were only the right size.

That brunette's fucking cell phone is in the way. These girls will all have brain tumors by the time their thirty- five at this rate.

She had better appreciate this after all this trouble.

He shoved his hands into his pockets, slouching over, realizing that he had not seen anyone enter or exit, or even walk by the club for at least half an hour other than a few males. He was beginning to think that it was time to call it quits when, finally, he saw her. She was just what he had been looking for. He had noticed her arrival earlier, accompanied by another female friend, and now she was leaving the club, alone.

She fit his desired profile perfectly—she was small in stature and, most importantly, she sported a white gold and emerald ring. She paused for a moment, turning back to look through the doorway of the club, as if questioning the wisdom of leaving the place without her friend in tow. Her hair was a lovely shade of auburn, almost red, a color he found to be particularly attractive, but that was irrelevant to the task at hand.

She stepped onto the street. _Gotcha_, he thought smugly as Fortune stepped out from under the eve and into the misting rain to follow her. The woman opened her umbrella with a snap and proceeded confidently around the corner, her previous hesitation forgotten. She appeared to be a tourist, or some sort of visitor to the city. His suspicions were confirmed shortly thereafter as she darted into the lobby of an expensive hotel catering mainly to business travelers.

Fortune silently followed her into the hotel lobby, moving unnoticed past the clerk who was intently watching a rerun of _Fear Factor_ on the small television behind the desk. He found her waiting for the elevator. When it arrived, he quickly slipped in behind her, joining her just as the doors were closing. She gave him a startled look as he moved past her towards the far corner of the elevator. She stood stiffly, facing the open doors and not looking at Fortune.

She was afraid. He could feel it.

Meanwhile _her_ instincts were screaming that there was something very wrong with her current situation. The stranger gave her the creeps. He had seemed to come out of nowhere. She almost bolted out as the doors were closing, but hesitated due to what seemed like a fairly reasonable voice inside her head insisting that it would look awfully foolish. _After all_, the reasonable voice persisted, _he must be another resident of the hotel returning to his room. _She ignored her instincts and stood stiffly waiting for the elevator to move.

The heavy elevator doors closed with a muffled thud, leaving them in silence. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. She glanced to her left, trying to catch a quick glimpse of the man to convince herself that all was well. _He's just an ordinary man, _the reasonable voice assured again.

But what she saw was not at all reassuring—his eyes were fixed, unblinking, upon her. The goose bumps spread over her shoulder and arms.

Something was not right. _He is so very pale. His expression…it is so fierce and cold._

After what seemed like a mini-eternity, the gears jolted the elevator into movement and its gentle upwards momentum was soon accompanied by the soft tones of the beeping floor counters. These familiar sounds lent a feeling of normalcy to the situation, calming the woman's nerves a fraction. Still, when the doors opened again, she fought back another urge to bolt. Instead, she walked slowly through the open doors. Running out of the door in panic was definitely not a good idea. If the man did pose a danger, it was better to appear calm and in control of the situation. Plus there was still a good chance that the feelings of dread were a product of her vivid imagination.

She stepped into the hallway and the man followed closely behind her. Tentatively, she started towards her room; each step forward left her feeling more vulnerable, more trapped_. Why the hell didn't I wait for Melissa at the club_?

Looking back over her shoulder, she felt a wave of relief when she realized he had stepped into the first doorway to the left. More steadily now, she crossed the hall to her room, glad to hear the reassuring 'click' of the key card as it unlocked the door. _That was creepy_, she thought, relieved to finally be safely ensconced in her own room.

That was, until she realized she was not alone after all. By that time it was too late.

Fortune snaked an arm around the woman's waist, pulling her flush against his chest and covering her mouth firmly with his other hand. She struggled briefly, twisting and turning in his vice-like grip, as he dragged her onto the bed. Removing his hand from her waist, he shifted his grip so that he held her hands above her head and paused to study her, his other hand still firmly covering her mouth. Her eyes were squeezed tightly shut and her breath came in short, panicked gasps through the small gaps between his fingers.

She tried to scream, but Fortune clamped down, effectively stifling the sound.

He did not need her blood. It had not been long since he had last taken Sesshoumaru's blood and he soon discovered that the youkai's blood sustained him for much longer periods than human blood ever could.

Still, he wanted her. He wanted this.

Fortune lowered his nose to snuffle at the soft skin of the woman's neck. His breathed into her soft hair, causing it to tickle his nose a little. _She reminds me of Erin_. This thought startled him out of his musings. _Why am I thinking that now, _he wondered, a little confused by this reaction.

The woman whimpered and turned her head away, unintentionally baring her neck to the vampire. It was all the encouragement he needed. He bit down hard, taking an intense carnal satisfaction in the flow of human blood over his lips. His body burned with the pleasure her blood gave. It had not felt this good in a long while. He was too busy enjoying the welcome sensations coursing through his body to wonder why.

He now felt strangely at ease, even relaxed.

After he was finished, he tugged the ring off of her finger and slipped it carefully into his pocket. He noticed that with the ring's removal, it exposed a pale band across her finger. She must have had the ring for a long time.

He closed the door quietly behind him, leaving the room quiet and still. A band of streetlight from beneath the window curtain revealed a substantial amount of blood pooling across the white sheets of the bed. In an hour or two when the other returned, there would be screams. And in yet another city, with the news of her death there would be tears.

But Fortune did not think about these things. He had been doing this for a long time. He had all but forgotten that he was even _supposed_ to think about these things. It had also been a long time since there had been another near to remind him of these things—these human things.

Instead, he patted the ring in his pocket, thinking, _our little ragamuffin is bound to be pleased with her gift. _

_---------------------_

"I have a little something for you."

"What," Sesshoumaru replied sharply, though Fortune's statement was not directed his way.

"Not you, you spoiled puppy," Fortune said, giving him a haughty look, "I have something for _Erin_" As an afterthought, gave Sesshoumaru a hard look and added, "You missed your chance, since you never did propose."

"What something is that," Erin looked over at him, surprised. The three of them were standing at the edge of the rusted, wrought iron fencing surrounding the garden and home.

"Just a little something," he briefly considered making her guess, but dismissed the idea quickly and held out his hand towards her.

Erin looked at his closed fist. "I have it here. All you have to do is to open my fingers," Fortune stepped closer. Erin tentatively reached out, but hesitated before she made contact.

"We don't have all night," he prodded.

More boldly this time, Erin tugged at his fingers.

"You will have to pull harder than that."

"Fortune, stop teasing," she chided in an irritated voice, but her smile belied her tone.

Sesshoumaru watched the odd exchange, feeling increasingly more annoyed. _What the hell does the vampire think he is doing?_ _Erin actually seems to be enjoying this idiotic game of his. _A dark, possessive feeling welled up inside, caused him to curl his lip in disdain as he watched Erin tug once again at Fortune's hand.

He wanted to rip the two of them apart. He wanted to yell at Fortune to get his hands off of the girl, if it were not for the fact that she was the one doing the touching. Consequently, t did not matter what he wanted, since his pride would not allow him to interfere. He turned from the scene, attempting to squelch the dark feeling rising in his belly.

He heard Erin giggle. _That bastard!_ He'd had enough. In a flash, he whipped back around, grabbing Fortune's wrist in a punishing grip. Fortune's fist opened reflexively and something glittered and fell to the concrete below with a tinkling sound.

Fortune glared angrily into Sesshoumaru's eyes, who returned his gaze coldly. Neither was willing to look away, not wanting to back down from a challenge. Finally, Fortune was the one who relented and jerked his wrist from the vice-like grip, bending over to retrieve the fallen ring.

"I thought you might like to have this," he told Erin. He gave Sesshoumaru a smug look.

"Oh," she squealed, "it's so pretty! Is that an emerald? Why thank you, Fortune. No one has ever given me a ring before." She put it on her finger and held up her hand. It fit a little loosely, but was not enough so as to slip off accidentally, "how does it look?"

"Thought you'd like it," Fortune spared another glance Sesshoumaru's way. _If looks could kill_, Fortune smirked, _I might be in serious trouble now. _It was interesting to see the youkai display emotion, albeit in a subtle fashion. His eyes were narrowed fractionally, his brows drawn closer to his eyes giving them a hooded appearance. His lips were set in a thin, hard line. He looked positively menacing.

Fortune chuckled. He half-expected this to anger the youkai further. However, it seemed to have the opposite effect. Sesshoumaru's face relaxed and he resumed his usual impassive expression. "It looks very nice, Erin," Sesshoumaru finally answered, turning away, "come, let us proceed."

Fortune had been quite pleased with both Erin's and Sesshoumaru's reaction to the ring. Erin's obvious delight had given him a pleasant thrill. Sesshoumaru's reaction, on the other hand, had given him the satisfied feeling that comes only after giving your opponent a thorough thrashing.

The entire scene did bring to mind a question. _Was Sesshoumaru now his rival? _He enjoyed both the youkai's and Erin's company. He and Erin now conversed easily, if not at length. In fact, he was finding her company to be more entertaining and less annoying than before.

Still, Fortune decided that he enjoyed their comfortable threesome a great deal more than he would either of the two companions solo. He was not certain of what Sesshoumaru's thoughts on the subject were, but, for his part, he was content with things as they were. It was a rather unique situation he had found himself in at the present. He wondered what good deed he could have possibly performed to have fate send such an amusing pair of companions his way.

With that thought, Fortune called out to the other two, already far ahead, "Wait up, you jerks!"

-----------

_2nd Disclaimer: There were no lovely auburn haired business travelers harmed in the writing of this fic. Fortune did frighten her a little, but then he can be overwhelming at times_

_AN: Hope you enjoyed the latest installment. It was short-roughly half the size of the previous couple of chapters. I'm sure the next will be longer, though. If you likey, review and let me know. I always get paranoid when my normal reviewers don't review a chapter—I worry that they are giving it a sort of silent 'thumbs down' or something. I should another update in 2 weeks. I promise I'm going to stop getting freaky with the lj language communities and do some actual work! _

_Botticelliangel: Ah, you warm my heart, girl. As always, you include helpful comments in your reviews. I always . Also, thank you so much for pointing out the italics gone wild. I had messed up a closure. _

_Sesshoumarubride: Glad you liked the note. I am always happy to read a review from you._

_Selene182: Nice to hear from you and I'm glad you like Fortune's character. I'm all about character development these days—perhaps too much!_

_Aaron and Phoenix: Glad you approve!_


	18. Alive Again

_Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or any of its characters._

_Chapter 18:_

Erin stretched her arms out to her sides and began to spin around in lazy circles. Each turn she sped up a little, lending to the dizzy feeling she enjoyed so much. The breeze that her spinning created ruffled her hair, giving the sensation of someone's fingers running through her hair.

She had been playing a lonely game of hop-scotch, using the chalk marks left behind by the other neighborhood children. Childhood nostalgia had kicked in at some point and she had begun to remember just how much pleasure it had given her to do simple, innocent things such as skipping, picking flowers, and, of course, spinning in place. As a young girl, she had loved the disoriented feeling that it gave her, spinning until the numbing dizziness overtook her and sent her reeling to the ground. Lying there afterwards was the best feeling, since, despite her immobility, everything still appeared to be spinning crazily around her. The only time she was able to duplicate this disoriented feeling was to indulge in the occasional illegal substance or pills she pilfered from her sister's stash.

Or, she could spin. So now she acted on those childish impulses, enjoying the temporary escape from the more complicated life of a young teenager. No one was around to see her acting so childishly, at least as far as she knew, so she continued her spiraling dance until she began to stumble dizzily. She giggled and reached out her arms to catch her balance on a nearby oak. The bark was rough but cool beneath her fingers, and she experimented with digging her nails into the wood. She only succeeded in breaking one of her nails.

"Fuck!"

Erin was in the process of lazily shoving herself back from the tree to examine the damage to her nails when she heard the shrill laughter. She whipped her head to and fro, trying to locate the source of the sound.

"I'm over here, you," Fortune called out as he stepped out of the shadows.

"How long have you been standing there?" She groaned. She should have known better than to try to get anything past either of those two.

"Long enough," he paused here, smirking, "I thought only little girls engaged in such childish play. How old are you really? Nine or Ten? You really had me fooled."

Ignoring his ridiculous insinuation, Erin did not miss a beat and lobbed a question right back at him. "How about you explain to _me _exactly why were you spying? What were you trying to do, catch me picking my nose or something?"

"Oh, I've already seen you doing that plenty of times, you ill-mannered guttersnipe!" Fortune could not resist the opportunity for a little abusive banter. 'Why did people insist on leaving themselves wide open for insults? It made things almost_ too_ easy.' "Anyway, I wasn't spying. I just walked up and was in a state of shock to see you spinning around like a maniac. I was worried that you'd been possessed by the devil for a moment there. I had forgotten, however, that both you and the youkai are singularly touched in the head."

"No you didn't just…" Erin had been about to offer a fitting retort when Sesshoumaru's rich monotone interrupted their exchange, startling Erin. He seemed to materialize out of the air directly behind the vampire. Fortune did not flinch, but Erin suspected that he was also surprised due to the subtle shift in his expression from amused to irritated.

"You missed the show. Erin was dancing burlesque. I think she was about to her version of a stripper pole dance with that tree over there." Fortune gestured towards the oak tree with a wink. Sesshoumaru cocked an eyebrow questioningly at Erin.

"No I was not, Sesshoumaru, I was just spinning!" Erin looked at the two of them in horror.

"Spinning," the youkai repeated, seeming neither interested nor disinterested. Despite this impassivity, Erin still felt the need to defend herself, "You know, spinning, like little girls do when they are bored." She realized that now she sounded completely childish. "Um, I was bored and I remembered doing it and wanted to see if it was still fun." '_Well, this is awkward_. _I sound like a retard_.'

The two males stood there, silently regarding her for a moment. Sesshoumaru finally spoke up, "Yes, I recall Rin doing similar things," he paused a moment, as if looking for the correct way to phrase his next words, "when she was very young."

Fortune stared at the youkai. '_Leave it to him to turn a humorous situation into something dull.'_

Erin had already turned and was making her way towards Fortune's home, but Sesshoumaru did not turn to follow her quite yet. Instead, he moved to stand closer to Fortune.

"Do you feel them?" His voice was low, almost a whisper.

"By them, I assume you mean the _others_. Of course I can feel them. They are likely poking about again, or hunting prey. Don't pay them any mind. They will not approach me, not after last time."

"I assume you mean that you ran them off?"

"Not so much as that… I don't really want to go into that now."

"Hn." Sesshoumaru turned away in the direction Erin had departed. "Does even your own kind avoid you, as aversive and repulsive a creature as you are?"

"If I am so repulsive, why are you here? Is it because everyone else finds your company too tedious, perhaps?"

Sesshoumaru snorted, "You are losing your touch, Fortune. Your insults are losing their bite."

"Everyone has their off days." Fortune lowered his eyes in uncharacteristic melancholy, causing the shadows from the streetlight to lend his eyes a hooded appearance.

Sesshoumaru looked back towards the vampire for a moment, perplexed_. 'Is Fortune uneasy about something? But what? He has been slipping more and more into these odd moods lately.' _He had noticed a subtle difference in the vampire ever since their last fight when he had found Fortune feeding off Erin. His smell, for one thing, had altered slightly from his decidedly blank scent tinged with grave stink. Now and then, Sesshoumaru could swear that he caught a whiff of a vital, living scent coming off of the vampire. At first, he had chalked it up to the scent of his victims rubbing off on his clothing and skin, but after closer inspection, he could no longer escape the fact that the scent was in some way decidedly 'Fortune'.

Lost in thought though he was, he did not miss Fortune's amused expression as he glanced up again and caught the youkai staring at him, a smirk spreading across his face erasing any lingering shadows there. '_This expression suits the vampire more than his previous melancholy_,' Sesshoumaru thought, '_some might even consider him striking.' _

"I know that I'm good-looking but you look silly ogling me with your tongue hanging out of your mouth like…."

"You will not continue along that line of thought," Sesshoumaru interjected sharply. Despite his sharp tone, he was happy to go along with the vampire's taunts for now. If it served to draw Fortune out of his pensive mood, this was certainly preferable to the aberrant brooding.

"Why? Does it give you a funny little warm feeling down…?"

Sesshoumaru interrupted him again, "Let me further clarify that statement. I think you mean a nauseous feeling."

"Love sick, are we?"

"If anyone would be suffering from such a malady, it would be you, since I am obliviously the more attractive male."

"Getting a bit sassy, are we, Sessh?"

Sesshoumaru said nothing, but ran his claws through an errant lock of silver hair, tossing it into place over his shoulder.

"Is that your answer, you have better hair?" Fortune squinted an eye at the youkai and leaned forward, "Do you know what your problem is, Sesshoumaru?"

"I'm certain you will be more than happy to enlighten me."

"You are far too self-absorbed and conceited to be interested in anyone else. Am I correct?"

His only answer was the same neutral expression that Sesshoumaru normally wore.

"No one can live up to your standards, so you prefer to be alone, is that it?"

"It is true, Fortune. My standards are quite high. I realize that might seem strange to such a putrid excuse for a sentient being as yourself, your own standards being woefully low."

"Is that so? Well, at least my so-called _low _preferences allow me to show interest in someone other than myself. You have likely never found another attractive in your entire existence, unless it was your own reflection in a mirror. Thus, I come to conclusion that you, my narcissistic friend, are obviously still a virgin. A 1000 year old virgin to be exact."

He could not be certain, but it seemed as if one of Sesshoumaru's eyebrows twitched at his statement.

"I have lived well over 1,000 years, and I am most certainly not a stranger to carnal pleasures."

"You are referring to masturbating, no doubt," Fortune was having trouble keeping a straight face after this statement, but after a brief inner struggle, he found the resolve to continue without bursting into laughter. "If so, keep that information to yourself, if you please. I don't want to hear anymore." Fortune waved his hands wildly in front of his face as if trying to fend off unpleasant thoughts.

"No," Sesshoumaru spit out through gritted teeth, he couldn't believe he had allowed conversation to get to this point in a misguided attempt to 'cheer up' the vampire. This was becoming utterly shameful. '_Leave it to Fortune to take things too far given any leeway.'_

In order to add emphasis to his next statement, Sesshoumaru gave him a satisfied little smirk before continuing,_ "_ I have had countless relations with a sexua_l partner_, or more than one partner if I felt the need for additional entertainment."

"Easy there, stud. So now it's becoming all too clear. I am impressed with your boasts regarding your sexual exploits and I must apologize for insinuating otherwise." Fortune lowered his eyes in a poorly contrived attempt to look penitent before continuing, "However, when you factor in your advanced years, I must say that you are purely and simply an old pervert, Sesshoumaru, or at least a dirty old man."

Sesshoumaru, at last gave Fortune the smallest of smiles. The vampire had redeemed himself. He had actually found the last taunt surprisingly funny.

Fortune, in turn, was shocked to have gotten a visible reaction out of the youkai and shook his head, wondering if perhaps he were delusional. He felt somehow that his many attempts at taunting the youkai were in some way nullified by this final triumph. He was thrilled to have elicited a response, an actual honest-to-god expression change from the ice prince.

Fortune smirked even more broadly at the realization, leading Sesshoumaru to believe that his pensive mood must have disappeared. And this was indeed true, in some sense. The vampire pushed his recent concerns to the back of his mind and the two began to walk in the direction which Erin had departed. But he _had_ been feeling rather odd of late. It had begun shortly after the fight with the youkai over Erin. And he suspected that it all had to do with his feeding again off of the youkai's blood. After the fact, he had become moody and restless, ruminating more on the past – his relatives, Emma, his home – as well as the events of the present time. He had also been obsessing about that damn girl Erin. She was in and out of his thoughts with a predictable regularity. Mainly, it was anytime he was feeling bored, which was often, that he would think of her.

_'What is she doing now? What is she thinking about when she gives me that sidelong look of hers? I noticed that she doesn't have food on her shirt tonight. Her lips are her most striking feature, other than her eyes. I wonder if they get their pink fullness from her mother or father. Are they as soft and smooth as they look? What would it feel like to touch her face, to cup her cheek and watch her eyes soften? What would it feel like to be loved by her? What would it feel like to drain her blood and kill her_?'

His thoughts of her ranged from pleasantly curious to violent. There was no denying his growing fondness for her, if one could call it that. However, sometimes he did wish to kill her, if only just to banish her from his thoughts. True, her memory would haunt him, her ghost would never truly leave him alone. But, as with Emma, killing her might give him back some measure of control of his own thoughts and errant emotions. Putting her out of reach in the ultimate sense was one sure way to quell his growing obsession.

Yet he would not do this. Not only would it anger the youkai, his newfound, if somewhat chilly companion, but it would destroy the lovely relief from boredom the happy threesome provided for all. So he was left to deal with and struggle to dampen his own obsessive nature.

And then there were the other, more concrete changes.

Since the fight, he had been left with an increasing amount of human-like urges and feelings. It all began with the uncharacteristic brooding. Almost a week prior, he had stood in front of his home musing on the past and his inability to feel the humanity and life which he had admired in his once active old home. But those very stirrings of feeling and regret had been only the beginning. He had thought them the product of simple restlessness, but he was increasingly feeling stronger and more potent emotions towards those around him and his own actions. For a time he had ignored it, disbelieved it, but now he had to admit that for some unknown reason his feelings of regret, guilt, and even sadness had began to filter back into his motivations and thoughts. These were things he had always associated with his formerly human existence and had imagined that he had left behind long ago.

He had always been a passion-seeking creature, even in his human days. But the passing of too many years had seen to it that the days of intense passion were long gone. Or so he thought. His baser emotions seemed to have intensified as well – much to his delight, inciting his urges to seek pleasure for its own sake. They were not necessarily the most innocent or decent of urges either. He killed. He was a vampire. So it was understandable that he would channel some of this newfound awakening into taking a victim or two. Ever since he had taken the redhead, and lifted her ring for Erin, '_or actually it had been such a nice shade of auburn, hadn't it,'_ he had found an unusually keen pleasure in killing, or in drinking the blood of his victims.

Then there were the physical changes. Yes, after centuries of unchanging, unaltered perfect flesh, these slight changes were coming as quite a shock. He had acquired an enhanced sense of smell, and some mild ability to tolerate bright lights and sudden changes in lighting, which had always bothered him before. It was nothing earth shattering, he was not safe in daylight. However, some of the light which filtered in through the cracks of his daytime resting area was not nearly so harsh and painful to be near. It was as if he were becoming ever so slightly human again. But he knew better than to believe there would be some dramatic reversal of transformation.

One thought that had crossed his mind was regarding Sesshoumaru's claws. If there were to be changes, he at least wished to have a pair of those lovely claws. Sesshoumaru's long fingers looked positively elegant accented by their sharp tips. Fortune looked down at his own blunt fingernails and sighed. Perhaps, if there should be another occasion to drink more of the youkai's blood, his own nails might grow and become as sharp and beautiful as the youkai's. Fortune experimentally curled his fingers and slashed at the air.

At his side, Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow at this inexplicable behavior.

"I was only pretending," Fortune offered in answer to his questioning look.

Sesshoumaru decided that he didn't want to know anything further about this strange behavior and turned away.

And he felt stirrings… he had actually achieved an erection once or twice during several of his feedings. The first time he had been so shocked that he pulled off and away from his victim, who lay their stunned before quickly scrambling away. Staring down, all he could think of was, '_What the fuck! I have a hard-on?'_ After a few seconds, he recovered his composure and went in search of his wayward victim.

He felt as if he were traversing the years of puberty, again, with the same awkwardness, but no pimples this time. '_Perhaps they'll be next.' _He giggled audibly at the thought.

It must have been the blood. The youkai blood was having some sort of strange affect on his body. Was it trying to take him over? Perhaps morph him into a youkai form? Since he had no basis for comparison, he could only speculate that many of the strange changes seemed vaguely human-like. Was that what it was like to be a youkai? Was it so similar to being a human in that regard? Sesshoumaru always seemed so cold, so untouched by the world around him. Was he really just a seething ball of nerves like everyone else? Fortune stole a glance at the youkai's impassive face and decided that this was not likely. However, youkai obviously did feel passion and anger and some other very human-like things. Sesshoumaru had described such things to him, and he had witnessed his occasional lapse as well, usually when angered.

'Would these affects fade soon? If he drank more, would he begin to feel even more human?'

It was powerful blood indeed.

His thoughts turned once again to Erin. '_There she was, in his thoughts again_.' He snickered at a memory from the subsequent evening. He felt as if there were a new, tenuous bond between them and all it had taken was a little time alone, as well as a little alcohol, and the two of them had begun teaming up against the youkai.

As a result of their little adventure in inebriation, Erin had reputably gotten into a bit of a fray with her older sister. Sesshoumaru had mentioned that Erin looked a lot like her older sister, though he doubted it were possible for Erin to look so enrage.

The events of the previous evening came flooding back to him…

"Fortune, do you have anything to drink?"

"Nope."

Erin was irritated at his blithe dismissal, "Well I know that you have water. Water is a drink, after all."

"I do? Thank you for explaining that to me. And to think, you attended public school," Fortune responded sarcastically.

"Okay," Erin drawled out, "now you sound like this real geek who sits beside me in Computer Discovery."

"It sounds like a fitting description of Fortune," Sesshoumaru added, "after all, he is quite juvenile." The three of them were sitting in the parlor, as was their custom of late. It was early evening and Erin had just arrived to find the two of them lounging casually. Neither was speaking. She wondered if they even talked to one another at all before she arrived in the evenings. Once she arrived, at any rate, the evenings were filled with teasing, silly taunts and oftentimes pointless, yet stimulating, discussions about a variety of topics. At times, Erin found her head spinning at the quick flow of the conversation from topic to topic. Sesshoumaru and Fortune would discuss the strangest things, Fortune often getting heated about the topic while Sesshoumaru simply sat there as placidly as ever. His face reminded her of the calm surface of a pool of water, cool and blank, but once in awhile, if she watched carefully, she might see a ripple or two in its surface during their conversations—the fractional narrowing of his strange golden eyes, a tightness around his mouth, or the slight pursing of his perfectly shaped lips. Once, while the two were heatedly debating, or rather Fortune was heated, whether the revolutionary ideas of the Impressionist painters could be called truly original, she had been watching Sesshoumaru's face so intently that she almost gasped in surprise when she suddenly found his eyes looking directly into her own. His gaze remained fixed on hers and, though a bit unnerving, she took this opportunity to study them closely. She noted that there were tiny flecks of a darker, burnished gold around the pupils. His thick lashes and the red tint of his lids only served to accentuate this amazing color. She could easily get lost in those eyes.

His eyes narrowed and became more intense. They seemed to burn coldly and his pupils dilated into narrow slits. She realized for the first time how very inhuman they appeared. It was as if it were an animal, rather than a sentient being, staring back at her. The yellow gold, which had before seemed so coldly beautiful, now seemed menacing and strange. She was mesmerized, unable to avert her eyes. She felt rooted to the spot and a cold chill worked its way down to the base of her spine. Fear rose in her gut, the type of fear only felt upon awakening suddenly in the middle of the night, when you lie there, struggling with the dread of nameless terrors, trying desperately to get a firm grasp on the reason that has somehow been carefully wiped clean from your mind. The _something_ in his eyes that she instinctively recognized now terrified her more because _it had replaced the familiar._ She desired only to bolt up out of her chair and run away from those eyes in terror.

Sensing her rising fear, Sesshoumaru's eyes softened marginally, "Erin, you have nothing to fear."

Her eyes widened at the statement, feeling suddenly ashamed for her fearful reaction. She waited for him to continue, but he only looked away once she visibly relaxed.

Just that, only that. He was not interested in discovering the source of her terror, or perhaps he already knew.

_No, she would not be afraid. He looked after her. He cared for her._ Shaking off any remnants of the dark thoughts, she decided that any strange fears must have been the product of her overactive imagination.

"You may go to the kitchen if you are thirsty," Fortune's amiable voice cut through her dark thoughts.

"What?"

"You said you were thirsty."

"Oh, yeah, sure thanks." Erin stood up, "But, where is the kitchen exactly?"

"Outside, behind the house."

Erin looked at him wonderingly.

"And there is the second, modern kitchen that was added down the hallway to the end and to the left."

Erin was relieved to hear this. She didn't wish to venture out in the dark alone.

When she found the kitchen, her strange fears forgotten, she began fumbling around for the light, jerking her hand back once or twice as her fingertips came into contact with something soft and fine._ Spider webs. Well this is the home of a vampire after all. I'm lucky he doesn't have bats or something creepy like that. _Finally she found the light and scanned the kitchen. The main color scheme was a sickening avocado green that you see in homes that have not been updated since the 1950s or 60s. Green countertop, green appliances, dark, checkerboard linoleum flooring—it all reminded Erin of her own kitchen. The decor struck her as funny since she had been expecting something more lavish, or at least less ordinary. As usual, there was dust, but there were also thick cobwebs everywhere. Cobwebs had gathered in corners, in windowsills, and completely obscured a metal hanging light fixture. She reached up and gently prodded the mass of spider webs covering the light fixture. It was soft to the touch, but held firm. _Fortune must not have been in here in ages. I suppose there is no reason for him to come here._

Curious as to what the vampire would possibly keep in a kitchen, since he had not need for food, Erin began to explore. She tugged the first drawer open and it protested with a series of noisy squeaks. Inside, she found a set of badly tarnished silverware, along with a small, black spider which scurried through a crack in the drawer's corner. After a thorough inspection, Erin discovered that, though sparsely stocked, the kitchen held all the necessary implements needed to sustain oneself, but only if you were a human. This made Erin curious as to who could have stocked this kitchen with pots and pans, dishes, glassware and miscellanea. Surely not Fortune, for what reason would he have had to do this. Had this all been organized by a human friend? It was strange to imagine someone, a woman most likely, making herself at home and domestic here. Had she possibly been Fortune's girlfriend? Did vampires even have such things?

Her interest was redirected when she found the stash of liquor in the cabinet of the wet bar, complete with cobweb décor, of course. A smile spread across Erin's face as she pulled out a bottle of whiskey, trailing web tendrils as she retrieved it from its resting place. She forced open the bottle and breathed in the sickly sweet aroma.

She almost panicked when she happened to glance up and found Fortune leaning against the wet bar, smiling.

Trying hard not to appear flustered, Erin asked the first question which came to mind, "Why are these bottles so dusty, Fortune?"

"I haven't been in this part of the house in decades, that's why."

"Oh," was all she could manage. She screwed the top back on and tried her best not to appear sheepish at being caught in the liquor cabinet. '_It was not as if he is my father or anything.' _

"You may have some if you like."

Erin nodded, still concentrating on appearing unflustered, "Thanks," she answered and unscrewed the cap again and took one long swig directly from the bottle. She didn't feel like bothering with a dust-covered drinking glass. A warm feeling quickly followed the path of the whiskey through her chest and settled in her stomach. She felt instantly more relaxed. Even so, she wished that Fortune would stop staring at her. Lately it seemed like she was being frequently scrutinized by either the vampire or the youkai and it was giving her the creeps. This reminded her of how strange Sesshoumaru's eyes had appeared tonight. Somehow she did not think it was any difference in him, but more that she had never tried to see that side of him, or perhaps she had never wished to see it. As enamored as she had become of him after he had helped her, and as he was so very beautiful, she often overlooked the fact that he was no ordinary human.

Taking another draught from the bottle, she attempted to imagine what exactly it was that made him different from her. '_Did he think differently, feel differently? Did he even feel_?' She had a difficult time wrapping her mind around this question and finally gave up. "Where is Sesshoumaru?"

"He's gone out."

"What did you say," Erin asked in disbelief.

"Now I know that alcohol addles the brain, but it should not affect your hearing."

"Come on Fortune, you know what I meant. It's strange that he's gone out. He's always here with us."

"Perhaps he thought we might like a little," he paused here and gave her an exaggerated wink, "privacy."

Erin snickered at his teasing. "Okay, what's the_ real_ reason, Fortune."

Fortune was not about to tell her the truth. He had already been warned against it by the youkai. Sesshoumaru had sensed several non-humans in the area near to the home and he wanted to investigate. Fortune was not concerned, however, even though it was unusual. He had no reason to fear other vampires, but he supposed the youkai's canine instincts would not allow him to let the 'intruders' be.

"That was the real reason, now drink up, you little lush. Let's get all silly and drunk."

"You mean let me get silly and drunk."

"Don't worry. It will not be a huge leap for me to act shamefully ridiculous even without the aid of legalized drugs. Now, why don't we gossip a little about Sesshoumaru while we have the chance?"

Erin giggled and took another drink from the bottle, but a smaller one this time. She did not want to get too far gone with only Fortune for company. Not that she did not trust him... _well, actually, no, she really did not trust him. _

Watching Erin laughing and drinking merrily in his kitchen, or rather Emma's little kitchen space that she had created, reminded him that he had not had entertained anyone here since her death. He felt a twinge of regret. '_Regret, was it regret that he felt?'_ Strangely enough, it seemed that his remorse over her loss, or rather his taking her life, had become increasingly unpleasant as of late. Why this was so, he did not know the answer, but certainly it had something to do with his new companions. Sesshoumaru's blood and Erin's uniquely human perspective were causing his emotions to become tied into all sorts of painful knots. But it was not so unpleasant. They reminded him of what had been missing in his life since Emma's death. He smiled at a memory of the first time she had attempted to invite friends over for cocktails.

"_I simply do not believe this bullshit Khrushchev is blabbering about the end of the Cold War. Just because Stalin is dead does not change the fact that the whole Soviet Union is full of bloodthirsty Slavs intent on our destruction." _

_Fortune watched, fascinated, as the sweating, pudgy man mopped his brow and neck with his kerchief before continuing. "They hate us and our freedom. They're barbaric, that's what they are, barbaric and bloodthirsty," he said in his slow drawl._

_'What an idiot,' Fortune thought._

_Fortune wondered how the man allowed himself to get so excited over a silly political opinion which Emma had expressed, and also how he could possibly repeat the same statement over and over for ten minutes without seeming to realize it. Is this what modern humans enjoyed discussing nowadays? Nonexistent threats to their precious freedom? He looked over at Emma, who's tightlipped expression indicated that she was annoyed with the pudgy man's (he could not recall his name) blunt dismissal of her comment that perhaps relations between the two countries were improving. _

_Fortune decided that a little help was in order._

"_Bloodthirsty, you say," six pairs of eager eyes turned immediately to Fortune. He had remained quiet during the previous conversations. They were all quite curious about him due to Emma's recent infatuation with this mysterious figure with his strange, yet undeniably handsome, features. As the guests trained their eyes on him, he could not help feeling like a fox in the henhouse. Each of the guests was just arrogant or dull enough to make him wish he could kill them merely to be rid of their presence. He smiled at this thought and continued, "I personally know a couple of Slavs and I have found them to be no more bloodthirsty than myself." Emma kicked him hard under the table, causing Fortune to smirk back at her._

"_Fortune," the woman to his right asked, placing her had on top of his, in what he supposed, was meant as a friendly gesture, "tell me about your family. They are from this part of New Orleans, surely, this house..." _

"_This house belonged to my Aunt Charlotte Dubois," Fortune interrupted before he was overwhelmed with questions, "however, I am a Lecomte."_

_Everyone was silent for a moment. They seemed to be collectively holding their breath. Finally, the woman spoke again, "Fortune, you certainly don't look Creole. You are so very pale. I was wondering if perhaps you had been ill." _

"_Oh, no, that's not the same Lecomte family," Emma interjected, "Fortune's family is not originally from New Orleans."_

"_But where..."_

"_Let's move to the parlor, shall we. Who's up for a game of 'Boo-ray'?" _

"_Count me in," the woman's husband piped in, and everyone was soon crowding down the hallway towards the front room. Emma was always like that—perfectly mannered, yet able to rule whatever crowd she found herself in. For the rest of the evening, Fortune sat back and watched the four of them play and listened to the incessant chatter, claiming he was tired from his 'illness' and thus chose not to participate in the lively game. _

_Later that week, the pudgy man was found dead in his room. Emma was very careful whom she invited to the house after that. _

_-----------_

By the time that Sesshoumaru arrived, having been satisfied there was no immediate threat, Erin and Fortune were giggling inanely and appeared to have formed some secret 'club' between the two of them that did not include himself. This was not unprecedented. Watching the two of them giving one another conspiratory glances and mouthing some sort of apparently hilarious comments back and forth reminded him of the time that he had left Jaken and Rin alone together during teenage years for an extended period. Not simply days, but for several months. They had giggled and smirked in a similar fashion, as if their time together had bonded them, muddling their brains and making each one into a tittering imbecile.

And on top of that, Erin appeared to be drunk. "I see that you two have found no lack of ways to amuse yourselves during my absence."

This set the two of them into another fit of giggles. The sound of Erin's girlish titters and Fortune's high-pitched cackles were beginning to grate on his nerves.

Just as suddenly as they had started, the two of them stopped and attempted to feign a neutral expression. This feat seemed most difficult for Fortune, who kept grimacing and hiccupping, failing miserably in his attempt to stifle his laughter.

"Fortune, could you please bring me my purse, I left it in the parlor, please, pretty please with a cherry on top," Erin asked in a wheedling tone that Sesshoumaru had not heard her use before.

"At your service, my dear one," Fortune made a sweeping gesture, ruffling Sesshoumaru's hair in the process, and departed, he assumed, for the parlor. He returned quickly and brushed past Sesshoumaru once again.

'_Why is the vampire insisting on invading his personal space this evening,' _he wondered suspiciously. His suspicions increased tenfold when he Erin and Fortune erupted in uproarious laughter. This inexplicable laughter was getting on his last nerves. Erin glanced up at him briefly, trying admirably to contain her laughter, but her shoulders began to tremble violently and she fell to the floor, gasping for breath, her laughter bordering on hysterics. Her fall caused Fortune to erupt into renewed peels of laughter, his high-pitched screech reminding Sesshoumaru of a monkey's cry.

Tears were now streaming down Erin's face and she wiped them away with the edge of her sleeve, her laughter subsiding enough to make an attempt at speech, "You have a." snort... her attempts elicited more hearty peels of laughter from Fortune's direction, "A... a,"

"Don't tell him Erin."

"No, I have to. It's just too mean."

Suddenly, Sesshoumaru felt it. He felt the fluttering of something against his hair and clothing. With lightning speed, he whipped his hand around and brushed at his hair, fearing the worst. '_A cockroach!' _He shook his hair, violently mussing his hair in attempt to dislodge the offending object. He failed to notice that Fortune also fell to the floor at this point, gripping his sides and rolling around laughing idiotically.

Finally, he grasped the offending object in his hand and, with a flood of relief, he realized it was only a piece of paper. Another piece fluttered the ground and he snatched that one up as well. Smoothing out the two pieces of paper, both backed with several pieces of scotch tape, he read the words scrawled across them in utter disbelief;

_Kick me! _The first sign was ridiculous and the next was worse, much worse.

_I think Fortune is a Sex God!_

He said nothing. He simply gave the two conspirators a scathing look and turned and walked away.

As he proceeded down the hallway, he could still hear their laughter echoing out from the kitchen. '_Their immature signs were not so uproarious that their guffawing should be heard by all the neighbors_,' he thought, affronted.

_'These silly games are all so terribly unoriginal and childish, but what less could he expect from Fortune and one very drunk teenager_?' As he was reminded of Erin's precarious state, he removed his hand from the front door knob and turned in the direction in the parlor. It might not be a wise choice to leave Erin alone in Fortune's care, ridiculous sign or no sign.

Erin awoke the next day curled into an uncomfortable position on the settee. Without opening her eyes, she mentally assessed her current situation. Even though she was lying as still as possible, her stomach seemed to be flip-flopping under her shirt, threatening to relocate its contents. Her throat felt dry and gravelly. The muscles in her legs were bunched into tight little balls. Tentatively, she stretched her legs outwards, which made them feel marginally better. Next, she experimented with opening her eyes. The late morning's sunlight was streaming through the tall windows and she immediately closed them again, covering them with her palms for good measure.

Sunlight hurt. She would have to remember this new phenomenon if she ever got drunk again, which she did not feel was very likely at the moment. '_Ugh_.' Her stomach was still not cooperating. '_Perhaps it would help to walk it off?' _Not finding this option very appealing at the moment, she lay back against the pillow of the settee with her feet dangling languidly to the floor and tried to fall asleep again. _Perhaps I will feel better in a few hours, or days, or never._

After only a few minutes Erin found the energy to sit up, vigorously rubbing her tired eyes. There was a now a new feeling of panic growing in her belly which had nothing to do with alcohol.

_'My sister is going to kill me! I am so dead!'_

Forcing her eyes to focus, Erin looked up to find Sesshoumaru standing over her, his eyes glowing a pale yellow in the morning light. "Are you feeling well," he asked.

She scowled and stifled a curt response, not wanting to inflict her foul mood on the youkai, and instead shook her head.

"Can you walk?"

In response, Erin stood up, steadying herself with his outstretched hand.

"I've got to get home. My sister," Erin managed in a croaking voice.

"Come then. I will assist you."

Erin stumbled towards the door, hoping that she would not vomit all over Fortune's furnishings, Sesshoumaru's beautiful hair, and herself before she could make it to the door.

She had taken on a few steps when she looked up to see Sesshoumaru was blocking her way. '_That guy is way too fast, especially this morning_.' She noticed that he was holding something towards her.

"I think this is yours," he said distastefully

"What is that?" Erin stared at the crumpled cloth in his hands dumbly, swaying a little.

"Your shirt," he answered simply and let it fall to the floor.

Erin felt a brief rush of panic, believing for a moment that she must be standing there topless. '_Nope_,' she realized, feeling the smooth cotton of Fortune's borrowed shirt, '_I didn't embarrass myself that much.' _Erin could not the recall the events which led her to need a change of clothing, but if the sour smell coming off of the shirt crumpled on the floor was any indication, she would rather not remember. Quickly, she snatched up the shirt and darted out of the room towards the door, feeling more sober by the minute. At least she could be thankful that he was only silently disapproving of the previous night's activities. She did not think she could handle anything more than a disparaging gaze at this time.

_'Oh my fucking head. This is all Fortune's fault, that fucking asshole...' _Erin's thoughts carried on along these lines during most of the walk home. Assaulting the vampire's character provided a nice distraction from the dread of what awaited her once she arrived.

When they did arrive, Erin dawdled in front of her house, stalling and attempting to coax Sesshoumaru into conversation. The longer she was able to avoid the confrontation waiting for her inside, the better.

"I'm sorry about the "kick me" signs."

"Oh, so you do remember something from the evening." Erin could swear she saw a twinkle in Sesshoumaru's otherwise impassive eyes as he delivered this statement. Erin giggled, her mood lightening for a moment until she looked up and saw her sister staring at the two of them from the open doorway.

Erin reached out and squeezed his hand lightly. After she had withdrawn her hand, Sesshoumaru was left with a tingling sensation around the area of where her small fingers had grasped his. It was similar to a pins-and-needles sensation, as if the circulation there had been obstructed but was now flowing freely throughout his body. Unfamiliar warmth spread up his chest, but he ignored these strange physical sensations. He'd had centuries to hone his impeccable focus and control. His face was a perfectly composed mask as he looked down at Erin, who gave him a ghost of a smile.

"You'd better go now," Erin whispered. Sesshoumaru nodded, casting a quick look at her sister and briefly locking his calm gaze with her furious one. The older sister, he noted, favored Erin in the shape of her face and eyes, but her overall coloring was darker and she wore her hair in a more natural style. The curls complemented her looks, he thought, more so than Erin's, with her determined attempts at straightening her errant locks. The older sister gave him a hard look, her full lips turning down in an angry pout. Sesshoumaru had to suppress a smile at her protectiveness. It pleased him that there was someone else who looked after this wild girl of theirs.

He laughed at himself as he walked away. '_If Fortune only knew that I referred to Erin as 'our' girl, there would be no end to_ _his ridiculous insinuations.' _He looked down at his hand, which was still tingling slightly. He knew this feeling, he had felt it with Rin. He was responding, in his own limited fashion, to Erin's affection. The gentle touch of her hand had sent the all but forgotten sensations of warmth and emotion through his carefully disciplined countenance. He should not be surprised at this, but he was. Erin had become important to him. She was becoming increasingly able to draw upon his viable, thought limited, emotional capacity. This was happening somewhat faster than anticipated, if he would have ever even anticipated feeling anything again for another human, after so many years. Objectively, he supposed this must have something to do with Rin. His extended contact and subsequent attachment to her warm personality had left him with abilities to perceive and experience emotions which he should never have been able. The times with Rin in which he had felt so alive and full of wild hot emotion, they must have burned avenues into his mind through which such sensations could readily pass, unhindered and uninhibited, once again. Still, as with Rin, the warm sensations coursing through his veins were evaporating as quickly as they had appeared. He sighed as his familiar chill slipped through the warmth and he resumed his perfectly controlled, cold, demeanor once again.

Erin watched him walk away, a sinking feeling in her gut. She knew that she had worried her sister and as a result, she would feel the brunt of her anger. Nisha was not cruel, but right now she was extremely angry. Erin tried to remain calm. She hoped to avoid a fight over this, perhaps she silently could weather the tirade until Nisha ran out of steam. Her sister gave her free rein most of the time, but she was expected to follow a few unspoken rules. Staying out all night and returning the next afternoon with an older man in tow, presumably wearing his shirt, had crossed a line somewhere.

For the first few minutes, she was able to tune out her sister's angry reprimands. As her sister's reproofs grew louder, she vaguely registered that she was shouting something about how she looked like a slut staying out all night with older men, and it was shameful that she was coming back dressed in his shirt, and what the hell was she thinking_, blah blab, blah. _Erin's composure was quickly collapsing under the angry barrage and she put her hands over her ears and headed towards her room. She entered the hallway, her sister following closely behind, and was jerked roughly backwards, causing her to fall heavily against the wall.

"Don't you walk away from me, you little bitch!"

Her sister's dark eyes, narrowed spitefully, burned into her own. She knew, objectively, that her sister cared about her and was only trying to keep her out of trouble. But those eyes, at the moment they looked so much like her mother's deep brown eyes, though they were narrowed into angry slits. The memory gave Erin a sharp pang of grief, reminding her that mother was not here, would never again be here for her.

Erin felt a sudden rage boil up inside. "You aren't my mother and you never will be! And we all know you are the biggest slut of them all, Nisha." Her sister's eyes widened at the insult and the anger melted from her expression. She reached out towards Erin, her eyes brimming with tears. Erin scrambled away and screamed, "You! You better leave me alone."

Much later, Erin sat alone on her bed, her knees tucked against her chest, a heavy empty feeling deep inside her. Her rush of emotion had taken all of her energy, leaving her only with a nagging guilt for lashing out at her older sister. She began to cry, thinking of the hurt look in her sister's eyes before she fled

_'I love you Nisha. I'm sorry_.'

Sesshoumaru had related the later part of the tale to Fortune early the next evening. Fortune laughed unkindly at the animosity between the sisters over their nighttime escapades. "It's not as if she does not let the little street urchin run wild around New Orleans day and night already," he scoffed.

"Hm."

"What are you 'hm-ing' me for, you spoiled, vain creature? I am not the one who let her sister see me. It's a wonder she did not sick the dogs on you. Oh wait... that's right, you _are_ a dog. Well, it is a wonder that she didn't kick you straight away, or run you out of there with her broomstick." Fortune was enjoying the mental image of Erin's older sister chasing an offended-looking Sesshoumaru off with her broom, when the youkai rushed past him at a speed so incredibly fast that his form appeared smeared and distorted even to Fortune's sharp, inhuman eyes.

"What the fuck are you doing, Sesshy?" Fortune called after him before following. After a brief search, he found the youkai a few streets over, very near to his own home.

A slight breeze ruffled the youkai's hair, lifting it ever so slightly from his back. His amber eyes glowed eerily in the pale moonlight, burning with something akin to regret. Failure and rage boiled within him, running like molten lead through his veins. He felt Fortune's presence beside him, but did not turn to look at him, choosing instead to continue staring into the darkness. "She is gone," Sesshoumaru spoke softly, almost a whisper.

"What do you mean she's gone," Fortune sputtered, wondering how it was possible for the youkai's statement to seem both melodramatic and impassive, simultaneously.

"They took her. I thought I would be able to stop them this time. After all this time, one would think that I would be able to at least do that."

Immediately, Fortune understood. _They _were curious about the youkai. Possibly, they had somehow gleaned the blood's strange ability to bring about the changes which Fortune had been experiencing. Therefore, _they _would use Erin as leverage to satisfy both their curiosity and their bloodlust.

"What should we do?" Fortune felt suddenly helpless.

"You can do as you like," Sesshoumaru snapped, "I plan to track them."

------------------------------

_AN: I appreciate those who have 'hung in there' despite my extended hiatus. I did have a little struggle in organizing a nice, tight outline for the next few chapters so that the story will (hopefully) hold its consistency to the end. I already had an outline, but a few things about it bothered me. My break gave me a few new ideas which, I think, will help to pull together any gaps in the story that I had been worried over. So I have found renewed inspiration and hope the story from this point forward demonstrates this! Also a contributing factor in my hiatus was my LJ. I never realized I would enjoy it so much. You should get one for yourself, readers. Fun, fun, fun, bigtimewaster. As always, read and review._

_I would also like to thank Dark Avenger for her amazing editing abilities. She is so supportive of my writing and a damn good writer herself I don't know what I would do without her sniff, sniff I have all the past chapters edited, and now I only need to post them (only have gotten as far as chapters 3 or 4). She is also the creator of one of Walks' first piece of fanart. See it on her Y-hosting site at: http/yaoi. http/yaoi. __It's called, "I'll be your bitch, for a price" heh heh. _

_She's a girl after my own heart!_

_Liberated Mystery Girl has been a source of inspiration as well. Thank you for your e-mails and your help in reading/editing the recent chapters and good luck with a new school year full of classes!_

_Off the Beaten Path: Thanks again for the review. You know how I love repeats!_

_Sesshoumarubride: I can always count on you big hug. Lord Fluffy pants, that was cute!_

_Kazhdu: You have been wonderful! I appreciate both your review and your e-mail response. It was full of support and creative ideas and I have re-read it on several occasions while trying to put my outline together. My favorite thing you had to say was that I should write for myself. Point taken. I also appreciate your saying that I've done a fine job so far. blush You are too sweet and your dialogue has been a source of inspiration for me – both for this chapter and beyond. English is not your native tongue? You wouldn't know it. I only regret that I did not reply to your e-mail sooner. Please don't loose patience with me! It's been a weird couple of weeks. _

_Selene182: Another repeat. How I love them so. Thanks again! So nice that you are still reading._

_Tigeris: Wow, two reviews! – I feel so undeserving after how long it took to get this last chapter out. Thanks for mentioning what you particularly enjoyed in the chapters. I had big fun writing the 'bugs' scene, as well as the 'bad poetry'. Nice to know they came across well. As for Ann Rice, I enjoy her writing as well, so of course she is a source of inspiration (I mean, vampires, New Orleans, whatever! cough, cough) along with several other vampire writers, and my own imagination, but I hope Fortune seems to be a unique character since he is most definitely an OC. As for the Melissa thing, that's hilarious. Yup, I wrote you right into my story! _

_Haruku: Thanks for the praise about my developing the characters and, especially, thanks for the cookie. I was tasty._

_Also thanks to M. Labelle and her long, detailed discussions with me regarding this story and fiction and writing in general. You could be a genius, methinks._

_Sorry to make this AN so long, but also wanted to give a 'heads up' that I may give this chapter a major editing overhaul in the very near future, when I can find the inspiration that is. I have a lot of '' to get rid of. For now, enjoy. And, anyone who knows what to do about the double trouble on my profile page, e-mail me._


	19. The Search

_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from the Inuyasha series and I am not making any profit whatsoever from writing this story._

_AN: I'm back! I had a massive case of writer's block and I apologize for the long delay in posting this. I appreciate everyone who has taken the time to review. I won't make you wait so long again. Special thanks to my betas, Dark Avenger and Stephanie, for their hard work and patience, as well as to Weeping Lotus for her encouragement._

_x x x x_

Fortune watched idly as tiny droplets of rain beaded on his forearm, teasing his sensitive nerve endings. His inhuman stillness prevented the disruption of the gathered tension of each shivering bubble. Occasionally, he would flick a stray droplet from his arm, watching as it fell to the wet sidewalk below.

Eventually tiring of this, he flicked his wrist, sending a spray of water to his left. The driblets ran down his arm and hand and dripped onto his pants' leg. He didn't mind getting wet, just as he did not mind the occasional sound of thunder from high above. The damp, clean smell of thick air reminded him of boyhood days spent enjoying the wet weather. He recalled the excitement of finding a slightly alien landscape created by the wind and rain. Colors and textures were dampened by the rain and downed limbs and branches often littered the mossy ground.

_Exploding through the doorway, young Fortune ran madly across the damp ground, mud sucking at his feet, the heady feeling of freedom swelling in his chest, all of this the result of having being stuck indoors for far too long. Outside, the colors of the trees and mossy undergrowth in his mother's garden had deepened to deep jewel greens and the tree trunks had become slick, dark waterlogged browns. _

Being cooped up inside had never suited the vampire, not now nor when he was a young human. The air was flat and still inside his home, almost suffocating. It had driven him outside, but the electrically charged pressure of the darkened clouds looming above offered little of the sense of freedom he desired. It was early evening and he needed a distraction.

"Are you ready?"

"The question is, are _you _ready for me," he turned to face Sesshoumaru, who had managed to approach unnoticed. The misting rain had left the youkai's hair flat and heavy-looking and the front of Sesshoumaru's shirt was quite literally molded to his body. Fortune had never seen the youkai wet before and half-expected him to crouch down and shake himself off like a wet dog any second.

Sesshoumaru turned away, heading back in the direction from which he had just arrived.

"Leaving so soon? Was it something I said?" Sesshoumaru ignored him.

"It's raining," Fortune shouted after him, "let's go inside and wait it out."

"We have work to do. I have not located Erin's whereabouts as of yet." He stopped and turned, but didn't move any closer to the vampire.

"Oh, it's only been _one_ day, or three. They'll not harm her, at least until they get what they want," Fortune made this last statement under his breath, "come back, I need company this evening. I'm feeling," Fortune looked up at the sky dramatically, blinking away stray raindrops, "restless."

Sesshoumaru was not persuaded. With a low growl, he leapt high in the air and Fortune lost his form in the deepening gloom of rain and shadows.

_x x x x_

The glowing green whip cut a high arc through the air, coming down square in the middle of its target's forehead and burning its way through its body. Just like several of its kind before it this evening, the vampire disintegrated into ashes. Sesshoumaru stalked towards the abandoned lot where he had seen a fleeing vampire disappear. He could feel several others nearby, lurking in the shadows just out of his immediate reach. He did not intend for them to escape his grasp, or the tips of his claws.

He could not help but enjoy this exercise in vampire extermination. He almost laughed out loud as he imagined Fortune's grinning face in place of the low-level vampire's as he sliced a deep gash in his chest. His refusal to help search for Erin was unforgivable in his eyes. He could not help but feel a slow-burn of frustration at each taunt, each insult he levied the youkai's way. Though the centuries had mellowed him somewhat, Sesshoumaru remained, at his core, a proud youkai lord. His sense of humor and wit had become more developed over the years, mainly as some sort of defense mechanism which was required in order to accept his humbled status of walking among mortals and restraining his natural youkai tendencies. It had been a chore and Fortune was now testing those loosened boundaries.

He felt real animosity towards Fortune upon this particular evening. _He should be here, hunting by my side._

Sesshoumaru took particular pleasure as he swiftly pursued his prey through the thick vegetation of the vacant lot. He stopped short and with a quick swipe of his claws, he had the vampire's neck within his grasp. It was such a sudden motion that it was only after it was accomplished that he felt the wet slap of his hair across his face. He jerked his head, dislodging the damp hair from his vision. The persistent rain made his long, silver hair heavy and unwieldy. It had been getting in the way all evening.

He paused a moment to study the struggling creature in his grasp, rather like some overgrown feline twisting wildly beneath his hand.

"What can you tell me?" He loosened his grip around the vampire's neck.

"What the fuck are you talking about?"

_Another arrogant creature._ Even the low-level vampires were not immune to this particular character flaw; they gained a feeling of undeserved superiority through their ability to prey off of humankind. "Hn," he sighed as he crushed the creature's neck in his claws, slicing down through his ribcage. Before the screams had stopped, Sesshoumaru was already walking back towards the street. The fun of killing these creatures was now wearing thin and he was left feeling frustrated. Apparently, there was so many vampires in the city that it was no simple task to gain information about Erin's or her captor's whereabouts. He must find one that actually _knew_ something.

Fortune could help, he was certain of it. It grated on his nerves that the vampire had not been forthcoming. And what was even more irritating was the fact that his keen senses were of no help either. There was no scent of her anywhere other than the most familiar places and that was both disconcerting and humbling. He had not encountered such a thing since his hunt for Naraku centuries ago.

When he reached the pavement, he felt a sudden swelling of vampiric presence directly behind him and he reflexively lashed out with his claws in the direction of the threat. His body moved gracefully without the burden of coherent thoughts and commands.

Unbelievably, there was no slice of flesh. Sesshoumaru became very still, evaluating the situation.

"Sesshoumaru, you prick." Fortune stepped out of the shadows, holding his arm high in the air, a neatly sliced sleeve dangling several inches. "I think I'd rather you'd sliced my arm. Now I must walk around all evening looking like a hobo."

"Pity that," Sesshoumaru quipped, falling into his familiar flat monotone. He turned and walked away.

"Hey, buddy, where the hell do you think you're going? Haven't you had enough of killing innocent weaklings? Pick on someone your own size!"

"I just did. You complain too much."

"Poor little things."

"You haven't seen what I can do to a pair of pants."

"Touché."

"Fortune, could you please leave my presence?"

"I'd be more than happy to accommodate… but may I ask why?"

Sesshoumaru's golden eyes glinted in the moonlight, but he made no reply.

"I ask you again, haven't you tired of running about this city killing these weaklings and making a fool of yourself?"

"No."

"At least you're willing to admit it."

"Admit what?" Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes, nearly reaching the ends of his patience.

"That you need me."

The youkai was seething inside. Nothing would please him more at the moment than to slash out with his claws and send Fortune's head rolling. He was not in the mood for Fortune's taunts, nor to be called a fool by the ridiculous personality in front of him. His fingers twitched, but he would not provoke a fight. He had to admit to himself that he did need the vampire's help. Tracking Erin had not gone as planned. There was no scent, no trail, no lingering presence, just nothing. The only thing vaguely similar he had encountered recently was Fortune's stalking games.

Yes, Fortune could help. He should have been willing from the beginning, but for his insufferable temperament. The problem was how to acquire his help with the minimum amount of blows to his pride.

"You may come along if you like."

"That's not good enough, Sesshy-dear. It is obvious that you need me, otherwise you would not still be standing here."

"I stand where I like."

"Listen Sesshy, I don't have all night."

"Fortune, I suspect you've done all of this simply to put me in the position where you can find amusement at my expense."

"Hm, well now that I think about it, it has provided that particular added benefit."

His comment was met with stony silence as the youkai continued down the street at a steady pace. "I will help. It will get me in a load of trouble, but I'll help."

"You may begin now, then."

"You're not even going to ask what trouble this might cause?"

"I don't care."

"Thought you'd say that. You're predictable, as well as dull."

Sesshoumaru stopped in the middle of the street and turned back, "I'm waiting, vampire. Or do you want me to stop going after weaklings and go after you?"

"Threats only turn me on," he replied, more pleased now to help if there would be some entertaining banter included in the process.

"Just as long as you can relate the information I need in that state."

He nodded his head, grinning. "Of course, my friend, but you must wait."

"And why is that?"

Fortune nodded towards the east.

"Tomorrow then."

"Of course. Now, walk me home and tell me of your search thus far."

"It's raining again," the youkai muttered, quickening his pace. "You've seen what I've accomplished so far, seemingly nothing but to rid the world of some of your less savory counterparts."

Fortune laughed as the two hurried through the fading darkness towards home, finding that statement amusing in more ways than one.

_x x x x_

The next evening, Sesshoumaru stood in front of Fortune's home just before sunset. He watched as another dreary, waterlogged day melted into a brilliant array of colors to the west. This time of day always made him feel a strange yearning for the past. He watched as the sun's rays disappeared below the trees and houses, lost in thought.

"Where is my sister?"

Her voice startled him out of his reverie. Of course, he had noticed her approach, but the wind had been coming from the wrong direction and he'd not been concerned by a passing human.

Her scent and voice were familiar and he quickly identified the human as Erin's sister. He turned slowly to face her, wondering what he should tell her.

"She will be returned to you soon," Sesshoumaru decided it wise to avoid specifics with this particular human female. It was dark out now and he wished Fortune had not kept him waiting. Tonight he'd promised to accompany him and direct his tracking efforts in a more fruitful direction.

Erin's sister began walking up the overgrown walkway towards the front of the home. "Fine, if you won't help me, I'm going in there to get her myself now." He recognized the fear and desperation in her scent and she was obviously trying to cover it up with strong words.

"She's not there."

"What the fuck are you talking about? Where is she? I know you have her inside there," Nisha tried vainly to peer around the inuyoukai's tall frame and into the interior of the home through its tall front windows. "Erin, Erin," she yelled plaintively towards the closed doorway. He stood there unmoving in stony silence.

Nisha stepped closer and took up an aggressive stance in front of him. "Where is she?" Her teeth were bared at him as she spat out each word angrily. "What've you done to my sister, you fucking pervert?" She attempted to elbow past him and he grabbed her arm tightly, preventing any forward movement. She raised her hand, as if to strike him, but when she looked directly into his eyes, her rage quickly melted away under the glare of his cold, barren eyes. She pulled her arm free and backed away, without taking her eyes from his.

"You do not have to worry about your sister, she'll be fine," he said more softly this time, hoping to placate the girl.

She tilted her head down, curls falling forwards over her eyes, "I have to know what has happened. There are evacuation orders. She can't just be running the streets with all of this going on," she sighed and added in a calm voice, "I realize I don't look after her as I should, but I am her sister. Please just tell me where she is."

"She will be returning home very soon, I give you my word," he answered, hoping she would give up and leave at this reassurance.

It was not to be. Her face twisted and her calm disappeared beneath a resurgence of anger.

"Erin is fourteen! You can't just keep her away from me! What are you some sort of child molester? I don't care what you do as long as you don't do it with my sister!"

Sesshoumaru was at an uncharacteristic loss as to what to do about the situation. It was not going as well as he'd hoped.

"It's a good thing I followed her here before so I'd know where you were holding her now. I don't know how they do things where you're from, but you just can't kidnap kids in America, don't you know that, you fucking pervert?"

Sesshoumaru scarcely heard her ranting at this point, as he was focusing on the tickle of Fortune's presence coming nearer. He didn't know whether to be relieved or unsettled that the vampire would soon be entering the fray. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw him appear in the doorway.

The young woman had turned, still ranting, and was moving back down the walkway towards the street, shouting, "I'll be back with the police! Erin, I'm coming for you, baby."

"Ni-sha," Fortune drawled playfully from the doorway as if he were calling a particularly naughty child.

This stopped the young woman dead in her tracks. She whipped around to find Fortune leaning on the door frame, smiling in a relaxed, disarming manner. "You're looking for that girl, Erin, right?"

"Yes," she hesitated, "where's Erin and who are you?"

"My name is Fortune and I'll be more than happy to help. I must apologize for my friend here. He's a bit… different."

Sesshoumaru's eyebrow twitched dangerously.

"He and Erin have become fast friends, you see," he continued in an amicable tone, "I would be more than happy to tell you where she is, even if my friend here will not. Come inside. I'll answer any questions you might have." He held his arm out, beckoning her. As if entranced, she turned and started slowly moving towards him, brushing past the youkai without even sparing him a sideways glance. When she reached the doorway, Fortune guided her in with his hand placed reassuringly on her shoulder.

He smiled back over her shoulder at Sesshoumaru, giving him a wink. It was not a nice smile. Sesshoumaru briefly considered intervening on behalf of Erin's sister, since her safety was questionable in the hands of the vampire. But as he had more pressing matters to attend, namely finding her younger sister, he left her to deal with the vampire on her own. Or rather, Fortune would be left to deal with_ her_ as he saw fit.

_Blast that vampire, _he thought as he slipped quietly across the garden, melting into the shadows Once again, he was unaided in his increasingly frustrating search for Erin.

_x x x x_

Miles away, but not so far as one would think, Erin stared out of the window at a street inside the French Quarter. "Don't forget about me," she whispered to no one in particular. She sat down on the floor, leaning back against the couch and tried to forget about her current situation.

At times, it was difficult for Erin to remember that she was a prisoner. She was not treated badly and the worst she could say for the experience so far was that it was terribly boring.

Of course, she had been terrified at first and had imagined the worst. When the two vampires snatched her, she'd thought they meant to kill her. She struggled until they told her that she would be returned safely if she would only cooperate. How she had trembled with fear as they brought her to this place, expecting to be thrown into a cell or dark basement. It was in this state that she'd met Milosh. She had feared him at first.

Milosh was human, though she had mistaken him for something else due to his intense eyes and arrogant demeanor. He assured her that he was completely human, verified by the fact that he came and went during the daylight hours. He was not what you would call handsome. His facial features were large and thick and Erin thought he looked very different from anyone she'd ever met. He was distinctive, somehow, without having any sort of distinctive feature about him, except perhaps his eyes. His perpetual scowl and intense gaze frightened her at first. He couldn't have been much over twenty and she wondered what it was that he could be so angry about all the time. This would not remain a mystery for long, however.

And so it seemed that she was to have free range of a sparsely furnished flat which appeared to be currently occupied by herself, a cat named Pretty, and Milosh. She had not seen the two vampires since they had brought her here a few days ago. Milosh informed her that their names were Josef and Aneska and he served them in some useful capacity of which he would not elaborate.

Her first real conversation with Milosh went something like this:

"It's good that you're quiet, since you'll be staying here with me for quite some time."

Erin hesitated for a moment before taking the bait, "They'll find me. They'll take me back tonight."

"No. They won't," Milosh answered in a tone which sounded much more certain than the one Erin had feigned. "Aneska will ensure that."

"Who? That girl?" Erin was a little surprised by this answer, as the girl who had brought her here had seemed very pretty and young, but certainly did not seem to be any match for Sesshoumaru or Fortune.

"Yes, that one," Milosh's scowl seemed to deepen, if that were even possible, "she has taken the blood of countless zmeu such as yours in her long life, while such creatures still roamed Europe. She has great power."

"Whatever you say," Erin said lightly. She was not about to willingly give any authority to these strangers.

"Is that not what your friend is, a zmeu, shapeshifter, a faerie? By any name, they are no match for her."

Erin realized that she was being subtly probed for information. She had no desire to be used any further as a tool against her two friends, therefore she ignored Milosh and began biting her fingernails.

He shoved her roughly from behind, "Speak, girl, I asked you a question."

"No, he's a vampire,"

"You know of whom I speak."

"Is that why I was brought here, because Aneska wants to drink his blood? Why doesn't she just go after him herself is she's so tough?"

"Why indeed? That's what I'd like to know as well." He sat there contemplating this, lost in thought. She thought the conversation over and headed to the small kitchen that they shared.

Unexpectedly, Milosh poked his head around the corner, causing Erin to spill the glass of water she was drinking down the front of her shirt in her surprise. "Shit!"

"It isn't only that one, you know," he stated, his scowl briefly transforming into a smirk at the sight of her accident.

Erin grabbed a dishtowel and dabbed at the water spots ineffectually. Her shirt was soaked.

"Josef most likely came up with this silly little game in order to bring Fortune. Fortune's his, you know."

"Like I care," she shoved past him. Holding the front of her shirt out with one hand, she escaped to the bathroom.

_x x x x_

Days passed slowly, boredom quickly replacing any lingering fear. Milosh had helped to alleviate her worst fears in the beginning with his reassurances that she would not be harmed. Despite his unwillingness to help by allowing her to leave, he seemed somewhat concerned that she be comfortable during her stay, or as comfortable as the fold out sofa-bed and small living space would allow.

She was bait. The worst part of being bait was feeling vaguely guilty and the drudgery of waiting and not knowing whether it would be a day, a week, or a month before she would be free once again. If she had to stay here much longer, she thought that she might go insane. There was no television, she couldn't leave the flat, and the only other person she saw on a daily basis was Milosh. What a barrel of monkeys he was. However, even his company was better than being alone. In fact, he could be quite amiable in an dull sort of way and by the time he would return in the evenings she was ready for any sort of conversation. She was not certain where or how he spent his days after he left the flat. She did not ask, deciding he must be performing some task or another for Josef and Aneska. During the day there was only petting Pretty (she soon discovered Milosh hated Pretty and all cats, for that matter, but tolerated her presence only because Aneska had picked her up as a stray somewhere), cooking herself meals or reading. There was any number of books, ranging from thrillers to romance. She was even bored enough to try a recipe out of a cookbook she found. It tasted, well, awful, so she went back to cooking her usual pasta with Ragu or ramen noodles, which Milosh seemed happy to pick up for her at the store.

As she sat reading late that afternoon, she asked Milosh who the books belonged to. "You must learn to not ask so many questions, especially those that you wouldn't like knowing the answers to," he replied mysteriously. She had rather hoped that the books had belonged to another female who might show up and offer a welcome change.

Erin was more restless than she had ever remembered. She wondered when Sesshoumaru and Fortune would find her. There was not any doubt that they would come for her, either in her mind or theirs. But what she could not fathom was why she was here if it were only a simple matter of bringing them all together. Why not just ask them to show up? If no one was to be harmed, what was the point?

It made no sense, really, if they didn't mean to harm anyone, and she told Milosh so.

"The silly games the immortals play never do," Milosh was quick to remind her. She wondered if he were correct.

In the evenings, Milosh would often sit beside her and alternate between talking to her and reading one of his own books, which was not written in English. Their conversations were generally one-sided. Milosh would often rant on and on about politics or the state of the world, or some other dull topic. He would have made a good teacher, she thought. Still, it was better than silence and he would occasionally tell her about the places he'd traveled, which interested her. He had been all over Europe and was originally from Slovakia.

Once she asked him what he thought of New Orleans so far and he'd simply spat on the floor. After a moment of shock, she couldn't help but giggle and he gave her a strange look. Later, she asked him the same question just to see if he would spit on the floor again. This time he simply complained about the heat or the crime, so he managed to make that dull as well.

The next evening, in attempt to escape the monotonous routine life had settled into, she began relating a few humorous stories she had involving Fortune and Sesshoumaru. He sat there silently. She couldn't tell if he was listening until she mentioned that Fortune had taught her to play chess, wondering if they might could play together as well.

"Chess, eh? I think I have a set around here somewhere." He went to his room and returned with a wooden box, which he plunked down before her, adding, "Fortune taught you, did he? You know he's a killer just like the rest of them."

Erin sat silently for a moment, toying with the hem of her shirt, her happy, talkative mood disrupted by his accusation. "That's not true," she said finally.

He gave a nasty laugh. "You're such a fool, though I'm not much of one to talk. I was like you once, the very same age when they found me, when I began to serve them, not knowing what their kind truly was. Evil is not a good enough word for them. They are scum." He paused here, noting that the girl was staring out the window, pretending to ignore him.

"You'll remember my words when you find out for yourself one day."

"They aren't like that," Erin said in a low voice, "they care about me."

"So you can talk after all. What are you to them, their human lover?" he sneered.

Erin almost laughed aloud at his ridiculous statement. "No, they're my _friends." _The word sounded naïve and silly, though she could come up with no other way to describe her relationship with the vampire and youkai.

"Friends, pah. Humans are nothing to them but a food source. And your 'friend' Fortune is nothing but a killer. He deserves to rot for his crimes, for all the people he has murdered to feed his worthless hide. They all do."

"Fortune has never killed anyone that I know of."

Milosh snickered at this comment and Erin tried to hide her rising doubt behind a confident voice, "Sesshoumaru isn't a vampire, anyway."

"Ah yes, the shape-shifter. You trust him, do you? It will not end well with that one either."

"They'll come for me, you know."

"What does that matter? Some silly game the immortals are playing amongst themselves. They don't care about you. I'm only trying to help you by telling you this."

"Yes, yes, you've said that, but if you really feel this way, why don't you leave? Why don't you let me leave?" She gave him a hopeful look.

"Aah, there it is. I stay because I hate them. I will have my revenge one day, one day he will be vulnerable and I will be there. He knows this, but is too arrogant to care, that bastard _kurva_!"

He slid an arm around her shoulders. She removed his arm quickly, standing up and walking over to the window.

Watching her with an indiscernible expression in his dark eyes, he chuckled and added, "As for you, my dear little fool, I cannot allow you to escape while under my care because I wait for that moment when I am to destroy him."

Erin made a sound of disbelief at his statement.

"You don't think I have a plan? I will have my revenge against all of them."

"What did he… they do to you?" Erin asked, curiosity winning out over her anger.

"At first, I thought he was my savior. I loved them, just as you love _them_." He paused for a moment, as if gauging his next words carefully, "I was born in Slovakia, as you know. I am a Rom. My family was Romany, or gypsy as you might know the term better, and we were scorned and hated by all the gadje in the village. Josef took me away from all of that, gave me an education, decent clothing and food…" he trailed off, an odd note to his voice that Erin couldn't place.

"That doesn't sound so bad."

Milosh gave her a cold look and continued, "We had to constantly be on guard for our very lives, and our enemies were our neighbors, the villagers. How they hated us. A gang of youth calling themselves 'the young Nazis' came for my cousin and I one night. I escaped, but they chased my cousin into a lake and trapped him there. They stood on the shore and shoved him back whenever he tried to struggle ashore, for he could not swim. They waited until he slipped under the water and drowned," his tone was bitter now and his eyes were filled with an old pain, but he continued, "The story made the more liberal newspapers in the surrounding countries and things were quiet for some time. The Slovaks were embarrassed, not by the act itself, but by the reminder that they had a 'gypsy problem'. A year later, three boys from the same gang chased my sister and I from where we'd been foraging for mushrooms in the near by woods. I was fourteen at the time, just as you are. They caught my sister and raped her while calling her a gypsy whore. She was fifteen. My sister lay there sobbing afterward in her torn clothes, not wanting to return home and admit what had happened. I waited by her side and cried too. I hadn't been able to do anything! It was that night that Josef found us there in the wood. I remember the first time I saw him, standing on the hill like a ghost or spirit – and that is exactly what I took him for. He must have been watching us for quite some time. He finally approached us and asked me if I wanted the boys dead. I replied 'yes'."

Milosh paused, his eyes shining with malice he turned to Erin, "Would you not have wanted the same?"

She nodded.

"They were found dead the next day. I rejoiced and hoped for the strange man's return. He did, several nights after that, pledging to protect me and my sister and to provide a better life for us if we would only go with him. We left with him and for many months I was happier than I had ever been. I had money, clothing, food, shelter. I even had enough to send back to my family in Slovakia. We lived with Josef in his estate in Austria. My sister spent her nights with him. This did not bother me at the time, since such is the fate of many Romany women from out land. But one day she came to me, weak and shaking, telling me she wished to return home. I refused her, as was my right as the male family member, and she showed me two tiny marks on her neck. 'He takes more from me every night. One night he will not stop and I will be like those boys…'

We left that evening. We boarded a night train heading back to Slovakia. The other passengers looked at us as if they had never seen such a sight, 'Gypsies paying to ride a train, who would have ever believed it', they must have been thinking the way they were looking at us. The bastards. That night, I fell asleep huddled against our baggage. The next morning, I woke and my sister was dead. No one claimed to have seen anything, but I knew better. He had killed her and if anyone had seen, none of those bastards had bothered to help."

He took a deep, ragged breath before continuing, "I did the only thing I could do. I returned and tried to kill Josef myself. I didn't succeed, of course, as young and naïve as I was. And he laughed at me as he held my wrists, actually laughed. He said I could stay, that I could stay and serve him and that my reward would be that maybe, just maybe, I would finally succeed one day." His eyes were shining with a startling brightness, as if he were speaking about some sort of enthusiastic hobby.

Erin shivered. She hoped he was finished. She didn't want to hear anymore.

Apparently, he was. He stood and walked towards the door.

"I'm sorry," Erin called after him, feeling it wasn't right if she didn't say something.

"Is okay," he said quietly and she heard the door pulled to and the key scraping in the lock.

_He's definitely crazy, _Erin thought as she turned back to her book, wishing she had been provided a television to take her mind off of his troubles as well as her own.

_x x x x_

Sesshoumaru sat across the quickly darkening study as Fortune dressed. The dim light did not bother him, as he could see well in the dark. What did bother him was the time that Fortune seemed to be wasting on his buttons.

"Staring won't get my shirt on any faster," Fortune seemed to have taken a hiatus from the seemingly difficult task of dressing himself and he leaned back in his chair, shirt still open to his waist. "These pearl buttons are teeny tiny," he commented, "They really exhaust me." A short, bark-like laugh escaped his lips, which all but ruined the serious look he had been trying to adopt. "Well, go ahead and stare with those pretty golden eyes of yours then. That is, since you can't take your eyes off of me," he licked his lips and wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

Sesshoumaru flinched, finally glancing away and Fortune laughed outright this time. "I know it amuses you to make me wait as long as possible. Your nature is truly perverse if you find pleasure in such ridiculous things."

"They may not seem much to you, dear one, but to me they're what make life worth living."

"To annoy me is what makes your life worth living," Sesshoumaru replied absentmindedly, staring up at the ceiling and drumming his fingers on the side table.

"You should be flattered."

"And I should…" he stopped abruptly in mid-sentence and smiled at Fortune, "I'm very patient."

"And I have all night. All of eternity, for that matter." Fortune settled back into his chair.

"You're determined to make me angry?"

"Let's just say I need some entertainment. You haven't been around much to help in that…"

Sesshoumaru stood up and swiped at the couch, leaving four long slits in the old silk from which a moldy-gray stuffing came oozing out.

"Good Lord," Fortune said, sitting up straight in his seat.

Sesshoumaru stalked over to where he sat and snatched up his shirt, tugging it up over his head. "What the hell?" Fortune staggered to his feet while he attempted to pull his shirt from the youkai's grasp, stumbling sideways with the material still covering his head. There was a ripping sound as claws rent the thin material. Fortune fell to the floor in a fit of laughter.

"That's another shirt you've ruined this week," he sputtered out between giggles. "Oh yes, take me baby. Rip my clothes off and take me on the floor like the dog that you are." He snorted and flailed his arms, his laughter seeming rather uncontrollable at this point. Sesshoumaru let him be.

Finally, his insane giggling subsided and he lay there on the floor curled up in a ball, the torn pieces of his shirt still hanging off his shoulders.

Sesshoumaru nudged him in the ribs with his booted foot. "Have you had enough fun now, or should I destroy some more of your furniture for your amusement?"

Fortune only snickered a little, unmoving.

"I've never liked your wall-covering. I think I can improve on it by..."

"Okay, okay, that's enough destruction for one night, even for me." Fortune interrupted as he shoved himself off the floor, a wide grin still gracing his features.

Sesshoumaru removed his hand from the textured wall, a little disappointed. The wallpaper was truly garish, in his opinion.

"You want to know more about why Erin was kidnapped, and who's behind it?" he asked as he removed the tattered remains of his shirt.

Sesshoumaru was a bit taken aback at his sudden willingness to speak after leading him on for so long. He would have to remember in the future that extreme measures seemed to fire the vampire into action.

"It's Josef, the one who made me. He sickens me, but that does not stop him from trying to win me back by various means every so often."

"He _made _you?"

"Well, they usually say, _I am his_, or some such nonsense," his lip curled in disgust. "The first time I met Josef, he could barely speak English and I was still human. We both were."

He settled himself back into the same chair with a distracted air, "My family was living in Beaubassin, a French colony in what is now Nova Scotia. We called it Acadia, land of plenty. My mother was originally from a wealthy family, but she left France for the new world with my father, who was low-born, but with many dreams of making a life and name for himself. They were forbidden to marry and that is one of the reasons my father had opted for making the perilous trip over the Atlantic in the early 1700s. Did you know that there existed what was considered a 'reasonable' mortality rate among the ships passengers during that time?"

As always, Sesshoumaru found it interesting to hear the vampire talk of his human past. As he spoke, his face showed some strain as if it were difficult to recall the details from so long ago, or perhaps because these memories tugged at his emotions. Sesshoumaru listened in rapt fascination.

"My father died when I was young, but my mother told us many tales of their 'great' romance. He was a trapper, which was a dangerous profession, but game were plentiful at that time…" He paused for a moment here. "After his death, my mother continued living in Beaubassin, but things were hard for her there. The English were jealous of the French's early settlements and were attempting to import Germans and Dutch to form a rival colonies loyal to the queen," he snorted, as if this were somehow humorous, "Josef was among one of these new settlers. His father was a great, hearty German who had married the most fragile-looking female I'd ever seen. She had a head of dark curls as long and pretty as your own," Fortune gave him a wink, "and a pair of the loveliest eyes I'd ever seen, as large and innocent as those of the wild deer we hunted. The German claimed he had 'stolen' her from her family farm in Moravia. She could barely speak French or German, but I remember her well because she was my first love."

Fortune paused again, staring off into space as if remembering more than he was willing to tell. Eager for him to continue, Sesshoumaru cleared his throat.

"Josef was her son. He could barely speak German or French either when he first arrived, preferring to speak his mother's native Czech tongue. From what I could gather, his father hadn't been around often while he was growing up, and as a trapper, he was now absent most of the time as well. But Josef was clever and picked up French quickly. He also picked up on the nature of his mother's and my relationship rather quickly as well. I discovered that she was innocent in looks only. She loved me because she was lonely. I loved her because I was young. I was fifteen at the time.

When winter came, I was off again with my older brother, Gilles, as we had taken up my father's trade as well. I didn't see them for a year after this and things were becoming ever more complicated between the French and English. The Germans were not welcome in Beaubassin. It was only through trapping that I even came into contact with their strange family. As I've said, I hadn't seen them in a year, but by the time that I did, Lucia had died. "

"Josef's mother?"

"Yes, I was heartbroken. We stayed with Josef for some time after that and offered that he could come with us since his father, also a trapper and by rumor a philanderer, was rarely home. He looked so much like his mother… I'm afraid I developed rather an infatuation with the younger boy. I was seventeen at the time, and he sixteen, but I was, by far, the more robust one. I was basically a man by the current standards. Josef was delicate, fragile, just as his mother had been and seemed to be in need of someone to care for him."

"Robust," Sesshoumaru repeated, arching an eyebrow.

"Well, when compared to Josef, yes I was, dear youkai," Fortune grinned, "I was quite popular with the ladies as well."

"No one was safe from your charms, apparently," Sesshoumaru teased, unable to resist the jab at his character.

Fortune snorted and waved his hand in front of his face in a dismissive gesture, "In the beginning, Josef was filled with resentment. He had known of my relationship with his mother and blamed me for her infidelity. However, I spent much time talking with him in his broken French and teaching him, and he soon began to talk to me, to open up to me. Damn it if his eyes, so dark and deep and like his mothers, didn't lure me in. He spent the winter with us and we became inseparable. There was much that transpired between the two of us, but that story is for another time," he sat down again, only to immediately stand up and begin pacing again, "and I don't know what he saw in me... perhaps I was a replacement for his absent father? But I know what I began to see in him. I fell in love with him. And when I told him that," Fortune's lips curled into a strange smile, "he left us the next day. I was heartbroken for the second time in my short life. I know now what a fool I was to waste such a feeling on that bastard."

"I soon heard that he had returned to Europe that year, using his mother's meager savings to pay for his board on a returning ship. If only he'd stayed out of my life after that."

Fortune rubbed his temples, a very human gesture no doubt left over from his mortal years, "Josef did return and found me years later, when I had a family of my own. He was no longer human at that time. By that time we were no longer living in the Acadian lands," Fortune's voice took an especially bitter tone, "The English filth had taken the lands and homes of the French-speakers, which included us. My brother and I had returned to find my mother had been forcibly deported by ship from Acadia, and our home was burned. Those greedy bastards wanted to make sure we had nothing to come home to so that we would roll over easy for them. It took us almost a year to find my mother; she'd been sent to Boston with only the clothes on her back. She was… half-starved and had been treated like an animal."

"Once reunited, my mother directed our little family to what is now Louisiana where she had learned an old friend of her family had settled. She quickly remarried there. Apparently, the friend of her family was an admirer of old of hers and a widower as well. His name was Leblanc and he had settled on the lands there, in the area near to what is now St. Francisville. He was a complete bastard, but that's beside the point. He'd formed one of the early plantations in the area. It was like living in a crude town, really, and it was quite a change for my brother and I who were used to roaming the wilds. But…" He stopped again, as if trying to decide which information was important and what was not, "we eventually settled down and married, had children..." again he seemed unsure as where to go next with his monologue, wiping his brow and rubbing his eyes as if agitated, "Josef arrived shortly after that. He came in the night, declaring that he wanted me. He said that he loved me after all and had never stopped thinking of me. And that now, now we could go away together and finally be happy."

Fortune stopped his pacing and looked directly into Sesshoumaru's eyes with a haunted look, "When I refused, telling him that I had a life here and children, and it had been long ago when I retained feelings for him, he became angry. He said I would regret it."

Again, he looked away. "I lost my family then. He took me and I became vampire that very night, as well as becoming his temporary prisoner. When I finally gained release, I returned to find that they were gone. Dead, presumably. "

Fortune laughed bitterly, "To think he still had the nerve to ask me to come with him… and still pursues me to this day. Disgusting."

Sesshoumaru's expression did not change as he listened to his story, but he admitted readily to himself that this new side to Fortune fascinated him. But ever practical, he ignored any questions he would have liked to have asked about Fortune's past life and focused on the present circumstances. "Erin was kidnapped because this Josef wants you to come to him."

"Um, yeah, sort of," Fortune shrugged, "that and that old bitch has a taste for you kind." _Not that I can blame her, _Fortune mused, remembering the strange effects of his powerful blood.

"Who knows what those two have cooked up? Who really cares? Aneska may be clever and powerful, but I have a few tricks of my own." He cracked his knuckles for effect. "You'll see."

_I can only imagine, _Sesshoumaru laughed to himself and added aloud, "I'm sure they are trembling in fear at the possibility of your reprisal."

_x x x x_

Erin watched Aneska paced about the room with an almost cat-like grace as she conversed with Milosh in what was presumably their native tongue. It was a quick, brusque language where all the consonants seemed to flow together into a hissing monotone. She wasn't able to pick out any particular words and it annoyed her to be left out of the only conversation she'd heard all day.

Erin settled deeper into the overstuffed chair where she had been writing poetry in her journal and did her best to ignore them.

Aneska tired of her pacing and sat down next to Milosh. Though she was facing away, Erin could see from the corner of her eye that Aneska had tilted her head in a girlish flirt and she was now drawing out her speech. Milosh grinned widely back at her, looking at Erin like a love-struck teenager.

"Oh, Milosh," she purred, "we've been leaving out poor Erin, now haven't we? How rude of us." Aneska shifted slightly so that she was now facing Erin. "Milacku, is Milosh good company for you? Is he good cook for you?"

"Is he 'a' good cook," Milosh corrected.

Aneska laughed and continued, "He is a good servant for you, no? Does he entertain you? Tell me no and I will beat him, the lazy cican!"

It was Milosh's turn to laugh at this statement and he added, "Only you find me entertaining, Aneska."

"That is true; you frown too much and are much too serious for a young girl such as Erin, not like her Fortune. Tell us some story of your Fortune," she asked, flicking her wrist in an annoyed gesture, "what Josef sees in him I still not know," she added in a lower tone.

Erin ignored her, but Milosh was more than happy to comply, "she says he taught her to play chess, that he talked with her, and that he played jokes with her on the shape-shifter."

Aneska tittered at this, covering her mouth, "you made jokes on the shape-shifter? That is like something out of tale. I also have a tale of Fortune," she laughed again, louder this time, "maybe twenty years back when he still was with the vampires, he was bartender in club for short time. Finally, he has decided that he didn't like his chief and he killed him."

"His boss, he killed his boss," Milosh corrected.

"No matter." Aneska flicked her wrist again as if warding off unwanted comments.

"And your English is hopeless after how many centuries? Six? Seven?"

"A lady does not reveal her age, Milosh. And as for my English, where is the ignorant boy that I tutored just six years ago?"

Erin looked up questioningly, though she still refused to speak to Aneska directly.

"Ah yes, my little Milosh was fine student. I taught him language, history, how to read."

"I already knew how to read," Milosh interrupted loudly. Erin noted that he was smiling as if this were some familiar inside joke between the two of them, "you think I am some dumb gypsy, eh gadje?"

"Boring yes, even spoiled, but never stupid."

Aneska cut her eyes at him and held his gaze like this for a moment before she turned again to Erin, "but I ask you, Erin, why has he not come for you yet? Are you such an unimportant creature as you look like?"

Erin's eyes filled with tears so she quickly lowered them. She pretended to be reading her journal, refusing to speak.

"Fine," Aneska stood and brushed past her as she made for the door. "Takove hlupac," Erin heard her mutter as she exited. Milosh laughed softly at this, "and the girl should have the bedroom. Where is your hospitality?" she chided gently and the next thing Erin heard was the key grating in the lock. Milosh placed the key inside his shirt as usual.

Erin heard his footsteps approaching, but pretended to involve herself in writing as he squatted down beside her. "You know, she is right. Fortune is both mad and evil just like the rest."

"Like the rest, you mean the rest except for Aneska?"

Milosh hesitated for a moment before replying, "She is also like the rest."

"Oh really," Erin turned back to her book, knowing this would bait him.

"Yes, really," he said more forcefully, "she is". He tapped on the coffee table with his forefinger.

"When she was here, you would have thought you two were on a date, the way you were smiling at her. You like her. She's pretty," she added when he merely stared at her.

"It was appropriate to smile," he answered flatly, but he stood up and began to pace in the same direction Aneska had taken.

"You like her. I can tell," Erin grinned up at him, one step from singing 'Aneska and Milosh sitting in a tree…' Her insinuations were certainly getting a reaction from him and it was the most fun she'd had all week.

"She is," he stopped pacing for a few moments, looking for the right word, "pleasant. But that doesn't change anything."

She stifled a giggle at the audacity of her next accusation, "I saw the way you were looking at her. You're in love with her."

Milosh turned to face her and his eyes were serious and jaw clenched tightly, "I most certainly am not. What do you know, little fool? You're still just a silly child, despite your age."

Erin's amusement turned to anger at the insult. Her knuckles tightened around the book she was holding, making her all the more determined to prove her point. "Whatever Milosh, you're just an asshole. You'd never, ever kill her, no matter what's she's done and you know it."

Swiftly, he slammed his fist down on the coffee table causing the glass of water there to overturn, its contents leaking onto the carpet below. "Enough. Don't speak of what you do not know." He stalked off into the bedroom and she heard the door slam shut behind him.

She looked down and realized that her hands were trembling from the encounter. Closing the book shut with a snap, she let it fall to the floor with a thud and walked to the window. The next day, however, Milosh silently moved her few personal items into the bedroom before he left for the day. He refused to speak to her that evening as well and he did not return until it was very late, so she crawled into the bed with a book and thus spent the entire day in silence except for Pretty's purring.

The next morning, things had returned to normal. She woke to Milosh's shouting at her for letting Pretty sleep in _his_ bed.

"Aneska seems to think it's my bed," she grumbled on her way to the bathroom. She had slept deeply in the big, soft bed and had not wanted to get up.

Milosh was already dressed and announced he was leaving, which disappointed Erin a little since she wasn't looking forward to being alone again all day.

"Will you be gone all day?"

"Will you miss me?"

Erin snorted in reply.

"I'll only be gone only a short time today." Milosh stood in the doorway, staring at her, seeming suddenly ill at ease.

"What? I thought you said you were leaving?"

"I have something to tell you before I go."

Erin waited for him to continue, her stomach clenched painfully, but she ignored it.

"I heard them whispering about your precious youkai and that bastard Fortune," Milosh's tone was snide.

Getting no response, he continued, "they were spying on your friends and they saw them take _her._"

Milosh paused for a moment, before adding with a slight smile, "you never mentioned that you had a sister."

Finally, Erin looked up, giving him a worried look, "this better be good," she huffed, trying to hide her sudden nervousness. Her stomach lurched. She tried to calm herself, telling herself there was nothing to be worried about.

"Apparently, your sister came looking for you."

Erin's face lit up for a moment.

"She threatened them," Milosh took no pleasure in watching as her face fell, despite the fact that he had been right all along, "when they could not produce you, she threatened them. And Fortune killed her."

"What?" Erin's heart stopped.

"You heard me," Milosh lowered his eyes, his voice no longer snide.

"No, no, no," Erin stood up and began to pace back and forth, "none of this is true."

"And yet your Sesshoumaru continues to search for you, despite the fact that he did nothing. He stood by and let Fortune kill your sister, the bloodsucking bastard," his lips were curled in an angry snarl. The old pain was there in his eyes. He walked towards Erin, whether to offer comfort or with some other intent, she didn't care. "I hate you!" she screamed and jerked away.

"No, you should hate them," he replied coldly, anger and frustration making his fingers twitch with the desire to strike some rational thought into her.

"Why the fuck should I believe _you_?"

"If you don't believe me, just ask your precious youkai when he comes for you."

Erin sat down on the floor and laid her forehead against her knees, "Leave me alone. Get out," she said weakly.

"Just ask him," he gritted out the words through his clenched teeth. As he watched her turn away from his words, his face twisted into a mask of rage, "ASK HIM!" he bellowed out.

Erin flinched but did not raise her head. "I said fucking get out!" she cried brokenly, hiding the hot tears which now slid down her cheeks. She heard the door slam violently and then she was alone.

_x x x x_

_AN: Please review and let me know if I'm back on track. _


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